


Love Strikes the Least Expected

by Nezuneotoki



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Blood and Violence, Eventual Romance, Evil Plans, Explicit Language, F/M, Romance, Sex, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:55:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21532567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nezuneotoki/pseuds/Nezuneotoki
Summary: As heir to the throne, Charlie must choose a partner to rule at her side and is allowed to pick her own only for them to end in turmoil. Her father decides to take the reigns and search the entirety of hell for a suitable candidate. Much to Lucifer's displeasure, said candidate happens to be none other than the radio demon himself.*I'll add more tags as more chapters are added.
Relationships: Alastor/Charlie Magne
Comments: 120
Kudos: 905





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm absolutely in love with this series and needed to jump on the bandwagon, so I'm just gonna put this here...  
> P.S I wanted an adoring Lucifer x3

Charlie lay curled up in the wide expanse of her bed as she sniffled relentlessly. Her two servants, Razzle and Dazzle, eyed each other sadly as they cuddled up to her in an effort to comfort their distressed master. It barely helped though seeing as she continued to snivel and whimper pathetically.   
  
The quiet sobs were soon interrupted by a series of soft knocks on a white door. Just as the servants popped their heads up, the door creaked open to reveal a familiar, pale face that resembled their master.   
  
“Charlotte...” the pale figure slowly entered the room and took in the broken form of the girl in bed.   
  
With great hesitance, she looks up and whispers shakily, “Dad...”   
  
He crossed the room to her side in an instant, his seemingly permanent smile faltering slightly at seeing just how upset she was. The servants promptly scurried away to give the king of hell space and instead busied themselves with picking up the various shards of glass that littered the floor prior to their arrival.   
  
The bed dipped as Lucifer sat beside her, a gloved hand resting gently on her shoulder as he attempted to comfort her.   
  
“Charlotte.” he tried again, this time a bit louder but still just as gentle. “For what it’s worth, you handled that lowlife sinner excellently.”   
  
When her only response was to curl into herself even further, his eyes slowly shifted around to take in the mess he’d ignored when he first entered the room. Shattered glass and severed metal from picture frames were strewn about the floor. Singed scraps of paper were gathered in a haphazard heap on the floor near the foot of the bed. If he had to guess, they were likely the collection of photos his daughter had kept of her and her various suitors. His eyes scanned along the walls to find more singe marks accompanied by a fair amount of claw marks.   
  
He sighed inwardly. Charlie had been in such turmoil this time around that she’d actually snapped and lost control of her generally well contained wrath, and while her display thrilled him to no end, he’d felt a twinge of sorrow when he saw her flee the scene with big tears and a newly broken heart.   
  
Lucifer retracted his hand then tried a different tactic. “I always knew you’d grow up to be a force to be reckoned with, despite your abnormally caring demeanor.” he grinned down at her with a hint of adoration in those black slits. “The way you set him ablaze and pounded him right through the floor, why, it filled me with such pride that it made my face ache.” He emphasized this by vigorously massaging his cheeks.   
  
Hearing her father’s praise drew out a small smile and made her feel somewhat better, but it faded quickly as the events from just a while ago came flooding back. She’d only meant to throw her recent suitor down in hopes he’d stop insistently complaining about her _weird_ personality, but when he didn’t something had finally snapped and before she knew it, he was on fire and lying in a crater in the ground. She was so distraught that she’d fled to her room and, in a fit of rage, vandalized it until she’d collapsed with despair.   
  
Ever so slowly Charlie sat up then leaned heavily against her father.   
  
“Everyone just wants me to stay in my demonic form...” she murmured dejectedly, eyes cast down at the burgundy carpet.   
  
“But of course, my little one, you are surrounded by nothing other than eternal sinners. There is no good left in them, and even if there was a speck of light it would surely be drowned in the vast darkness, never allowed to surface.” Lucifer laments, wrapping a comforting arm around her lithe frame.   
  
Charlie closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, “I know, but I’ve seen it happen before...even though it was only for a minute.” She peered up at her father to see his brows furrowing in thought before directing his attention back down at her.   
  
“Yes, your two friends are truly an exception but as for suitors... well, I’m not sure such an exception exists or ever will.” Seeing her frown deepen all but breaks the remainder of Lucifer’s heart and is quick to rectify it. “Should I give it a whirl then?”   
  
Charlie hummed lightly as she pondered over her father’s words. It wasn’t a _terrible_ idea. Her parents had been more than willing to let her choose her own partner so long as she’d be happy when she finally took the throne, but her trusting nature led to plenty of bad experiences and heartache. She only wanted someone who would love and accept her as she was, but she quickly found that nearly everyone here either only wanted a title to their name or didn’t find her worthy, less her demon side came out. The latter were, by far, the worst. They always hurt or angered her in order to bring out her fierier personality. The only positive experience she ever had was with her first partner and handmaiden, Vaggie, but the relationship didn’t last as the two found that they worked better as friends rather than significant others.   
  
With nothing else to lose Charlie muttered an okay before she was squeezed closer to her father.   
  
“Fret not, little one, I vow to find you a suitable partner.” he beamed. “Now then—” Lucifer quickly stood and offered her a gloved hand, which she took tentatively, then pulled her along, “—why not come and see what or should I say _who_ , we’re having for dinner tonight. Although you did a fantastic job, I’m afraid he wasn’t cooked all the way. Don’t worry, I’m sure your handmaiden has finished preparing him, she is quite the cook.” he grinned wickedly, earning a small laugh from her as they walked down the corridor.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
The next day, Lucifer set out on his search for candidates he could deem worthy of his daughter’s emotionally, fragile hand. He scoured high and low from the most notorious joints to the worst but at the end of the day he came up empty handed. In truth he wasn’t all that surprised, it was hell after all, though he’d been _somewhat_ hopeful that he’d come across at least one demon to consider for her.   
  
Frustrated with his fruitless endeavor he switched objectives and found himself entering a small emporium he visited on occasion. The demons here were not by any means your everyday lowlife sinners. No, they were a more sophisticated bunch, much like himself, and tended to have some sort of respect for others but that also meant they were more dangerous; cunning really.   
  
He was merely browsing the shelves when his periphery caught sight of a red clad figure inching ever closer to him.   
  
Widening his ever-permanent smile he turned his predatory gaze to the approaching individual. “Good day, sinner, care for a good splicing?” he laughed, inspecting the red clad demon in his presence.   
  
A single second was filled with radio static before a maniacal laugh replaced it. “Why if it isn’t the demon lord himself. Tell me, what brings you here to this quaint establishment?” the demon then swept his arm wide to reference the shop.   
  
Lucifer chuckles halfheartedly. “Why, Alastor, I don’t believe my free time is any business to you.”   
  
The demon’s also ever-present smile morphs into a smirk. “Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong my friend. You see, I just happen to know that you’re on quite a hunt for a bit of a rare prize.”   
  
Lucifer raises a brow as his own smirk widens. “Is that so?”   
  
“Yes indeed, in fact, I have an outstanding solution for your dilemma... or should I say your daughter’s?” Alastor’s smirk widens at the end, his amusement displayed upon revealing his superior comprehension.   
  
“Oh?” Lucifer turns his entire body to face the other as he cocks his head to the side. “Do tell where you heard such gossip.”   
  
Alastor chuckles, resting his elbow on a nearby shelf, “It’s not at all difficult to piece together what’s been going on lately. It's just that most of these sinners either lack the intelligence to realize it or don’t seem to care.” he evaluates, shaking his head in a semi-displeased manner before perking back up at the demon lord. “All that matters is that _I_ wish to help.”   
  
Lucifer laughed audibly, clapping for a brief moment before calming down again. “Hmmm, well I give you points for discerning my true ambitions but you’re the very definition of what I’m _not_ looking for.” he pauses to inspect his cane before continuing. “Most, if not everyone, knows who you are as well as your reputation, and I surely don’t want that around my child.” he concludes with a harsh stamp of his cane to the pristine floor.   
  
Unfazed by the obvious threat, Alastor shrugs. "Fair enough, but have you considered the fact that no one here in hell will ever be pure in their intentions towards anyone? Especially when it comes to the prestigious Magne family?” Another wave of static pierced the air as he grinned.   
  
Lucifer’s eyes narrowed slightly, his ever-widening smirk still in place. On the inside, he knew Alastor was right. He’d told Charlotte the exact same thing only yesterday, and yet he still clung to a sliver of hope that he’d find such a rare soul.   
  
“If I may be so bold—” Alastor moved a little closer to the demon lord, his grin never waning. “I assume you’re looking for someone who won’t toy with her in any way? A gentleman perhaps?” he smirked, confident that he’d, once again, hit the nail on the head.   
  
“You could say that.” Lucifer retorted nonchalantly, becoming much more interested in the claws beneath his gloved hand rather than the smug demon before him.   
  
A soft laugh was Alastor’s reply, “Well, I’ll admit that I’m certainly interested for more...selfish reasons, but maybe you'd rest easier knowing that I would never lift a finger to harm her.”   
  
That struck a raw nerve with the demon lord and had him gripping the top of his cane for stability. “And what exactly do you gain out of this arrangement?” Lucifer glowered, his menacing smirk still expertly in place. He would not let another wretched sinner hurt his daughter.   
  
Unaffected, Alastor grinned, “Why, entertainment of course!” he threw his hands up in the air with genuine enthusiasm. “In addition to already being powerful, I’d get to stir the pot with some of the higher ups who’d feel like they’d been cheated out of this fine opportunity.”   
  
Lucifer fixated his attention on his cane, twirling it as he sorted out what’s been laid out so far. He knew Alastor would be thrilled to gain another title, even if its sole purpose was to fuck with other demons for sheer amusement. He also knew that the demon once belonged to a time where courting and respect actually had value, so he wouldn’t have to worry too much about any form of harm coming to his precious daughter. However, he was well aware that the demon was plotting something sinister; he just didn’t know precisely what that plot entailed... yet.   
  
“I’d even be willing to bring some help along.” Alastor added cheerily, as if it would give him an additional edge.   
  
Lucifer’s attention returned to the demon with a hollow chuckle. “Very well then. I guess you’re slightly better than every other asshole in this forsaken realm... just barely.” he tacked on.   
  
“So, we have a deal then?” Alastor stretched out his hand all the while grinning like a maniac, the static increasing with volume.   
  
Lucifer spared a quick glance to the outstretched hand before shoving it away with the end of his cane. “Don’t you dare, for even one second, take me for a fool, radio demon. When it comes to screwing others over, I wrote the book.”   
  
Alastor merely retracted his hand, his respect for the demon lord increasing by the second.   
  
Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. “You want in? Then you play by my rules.” When there was no objection he continued, yellow sclera alight with mischief. “First and foremost, you won’t marry right away. I expect an entire year of courtship all for my daughter’s sake. Secondly, you are to remain in my or my servants' sight unless I deem it unnecessary. And finally—” he glared. “if you hurt my little one in any way, I will _personally_ see to your death.” he grinned, reveling in his own display of dominance.   
  
Alastor hums with a large grin on his face before crossing his arms behind his back. “Very well.”   
  
Lucifer’s grin widens for a moment before he makes his leave. “I trust you know where to find me when you’re ready.” he calls out before exiting the emporium.   
  
Just as the demon lord left an evil grin began to split Alastor’s face accompanied by an ominous amount of growing static. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Lucifer looks for a suitor Charlie goes about her daily routine by checking in on her semi-guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I did not expect such great feedback, thank you all so much! It actually got me so hyped up that I was able to focus and type up another chapter.

Charlie stood in front of a pink and white door with her hand poised ready to knock only to linger midair. Dread filled her veins as she wondered what she’d find on the other side today. No doubt it would upset her to tears but...with a heavy sigh she steeled herself with a smile and finally knocked on the door.   
  
“Angel?” she called out softly, peering around the bright room for said demon. Seeing no trace of him, she walked into the room, closing the door softly behind her. “I know it’s early but I was hoping we could do your check up now.” she steadily made her way to the demon’s bed and pulled the covers to reveal the nearly naked white and pink sinner sleeping in a rather complicated position. The sight of limbs sprawled out in every direction was so amusing that she had to cover her mouth to stifle her oncoming laughter.   
  
The slumbering demon snored loudly, causing another fit of laughter to bubble out of her. Charlie almost felt bad about having to wake him but it needed to be done, so with a light touch she shook the furry arm and called his name again.   
  
“Angel.”   
  
An irate groan was his initial response before turning over and murmuring a soft fuck off as he snored again.   
  
Disheartened, Charlie sighed. She really hated to do this but he left her no other choice. With new determination, she strode on over to the door and poked her head out in the hallway as she called out in a singsong voice, “Oh, Vaggie!”   
  
No sooner had the name left her mouth her handmaiden appeared right before her with a scowl etched on her face. “Let me guess, he won’t get up.” she stated more than asked.   
  
Charlie gave a sheepish shrug, “I could _really_ use some assistance.” she beamed hopefully.   
  
“He told you to fuck off again didn’t he?” When Charlie averted her gaze and twiddled her thumbs Vaggie sneered, “I got this.”   
  
Charlie followed her as she marched right up to Angel Dust's bed and, without an ounce of remorse, grabbed the end of the mattress and flipped it. The thud of a body hitting the floor followed by a pained cry brought a satisfied smirk to the handmaiden’s lips.   
  
Angel Dust massaged his temples and back with his four arms, all while glaring at Vaggie. He was about to mouth off only for her to beat him to it.   
  
“It’s nearly nightfall, time to get up and have your check up.” she glared back at him, her icy gaze more intimidating than his by a landslide.   
  
“Does it have to be done right this minute?” he groaned aggressively, crossing his legs while still sitting on the ground.   
  
Vaggie growled, “If you want to keep living here under the courtesy of Charlie then yes it does!”   
  
“Alright, alright—” he held two of his arms up defensively. “—no need to keep the pole so far up your ass.” he countered smugly.   
  
The moment Charlie heard the start of her handmaiden’s native tongue, she stepped in to resolve the situation before tensions rose too high. She wedged in between them, prying the two apart before they could throttle each other. “Come on guys, just take a deep breath and relax for a minute.” she inhaled deeply then eyed them expectantly.   
  
Although reluctant, the two gave in and inhaled before exhaling slowly. Angel seemed more annoyed than anything but Vaggie on the other hand gave her friend a thankful smile.   
  
Charlie gave her a bright smile in return then set her sights on the irked demon who was scratching at the wood on his bed post. “I just wanted to check up on you since I didn’t get to last night, please Angel?” she clasped her hands together and smiled widely, her pointy teeth on display as she begged for compliance.   
  
He stared at her blankly for what seemed like an hour until, finally, with a deep sigh he moved to sit on his repositioned mattress and waited with his hand held out for her. “Let’s just get this fucking shit over with.”   
  
Relieved, Charlie moved closer and took the arm. She inspected it carefully for any new injuries by gently brushing back the white fur and was pleased when she found none so far. After examining each of his arms and extra set, she moved on to his legs. There were a few bruises but nothing too worrying for immediate medical attention. Proceeding to his head, she let out a huge sigh of relief when she failed to find any marring features on his face. Last week there had been some deep scratches on his cheek that she still felt torn up about after having a hard time keeping them free of infection. Combing her claws through the thick fur on Angel’s chest required intense concentration if she didn’t want to mistakenly overlook an injury. Near the end of the check up and not a single wound discovered had Charlie smiling from ear to ear. This would be a first for him and that brought her immense joy, but as she examined his back her smile fell as he hissed. Carefully she pulled back the fur to reveal two long, angry looking gashes.   
  
She gasped softly, or so she thought. The sound was apparently alarming enough to warrant Vaggie’s attention and as she approached, she actually grimaced at the sight of the wound. It was diagonal in its path and the length of Angel’s entire back. They were red with inflammation and oozed a milky, white substance indicating that a nasty infection had set in.   
  
“Vaggie...” Charlie whispered, a single tear sliding down her stricken face.   
  
The handmaiden moved accordingly, gathering the medical kit hidden in the adjoining bathroom and returning with haste.   
  
“No wonder you were sleeping on your stomach.” she mused aloud, taking out the necessary tools to begin healing his back.   
  
Charlie set to work immediately and began to clean the infection, but as soon as the antiseptic made contact with the wound Angel winced, hissing and recoiling tensely as the solution burned his tender back. She muttered a series of soft sorries before applying a generous amount of salve on the gashes. She quickly checked the rest of his back for any more injuries and visibly relaxed when those were the only ones.   
  
Once she was finished, Vaggie took the kit and returned it to its rightful place, while Charlie eyed Angel with deep sadness. She hated when he was hurt like this, she hated when _anyone_ was hurt.   
  
“It’s no big deal you know.” he finally said with an impassive shrug. “It happens all the time during this line of work, you just get used to it.”   
  
“I don’t see how when it hurts you so much.” Charlie muttered unevenly. It took a lot to bite back her sorrow and prevent her tears from spilling over.   
  
He chuckled hollowly, “Eh, that’s kinda the whole point of the punishment thing down here. It’s not meant to be easygoing or fun, we just make the most of it and deal.”   
  
When he saw how upset that made her, he frowned and wracked his brain for something to make her feel better. Anything. “But hey, it’s kinda nice havin’ someone willin’ to patch me up afterwards.” he gave her the tiniest smile and it was enough to brighten her mood.   
  
“Enough about that though. I wanna know what I missed after I left the party last night.” he demanded, lying on his stomach with his feet in the air and face resting in either hand.   
  
Charlie rubbed her arm as she frowned. “You didn’t miss much except for the usual disaster.”   
  
Vaggie scoffed, moving her hands to her hips, “Except that you actually _did_ something about it this time.”   
  
“No fucking way, spill!” Angel Dust grinned mischievously at the princess, his feet kicking back and forth as he awaited the juicy details.   
  
Seeing that Charlie was a little reluctant to say, Vaggie took the initiative. “She showed that no good sinner what it meant to anger the daughter of Lucifer.” she chimed in smugly.   
  
His grin widened with mirth, “Really? What happened?! Come on, I’m _dying_ to know.” he laughed hysterically, trying to fathom exactly what transpired in his absence.   
  
There was a nervous laugh as Charlie uttered, “I may have thrown him through the floor... after I set him on fire.” she glanced up at the amused demon to find him laughing again.   
  
“Oh man I can just picture it now, that jackoff didn’t even see it coming did he?” his laughter slowly died off into a pout. “Awww I totally wish I was there to see that. I bet it was really funny to watch.” he sulked throwing his second pair of arms up dramatically.   
  
Before either female could respond the door opened and gained everyone’s attention. The two goat servants skittered into the room and headed straight for their master, colliding right into her legs. They then began to frantically tug at her hands, urging her to follow them.   
  
“Sorry to cut this short Angel but dad wants to see me.” she apologized before standing up and following her eager servants.   
  
Vaggie started to follow suit only to stop when she heard a sharp intake of air from behind. She looked back to see Angel Dust standing up with a pained expression.   
  
She raised a single brow at him, “You’re actually coming?”   
  
“No no baby, I did plenty of that last night.” he smirked when she growled then added, “Seriously though, I need to get up and walk around after the night I had.”   
  
“I don’t even want to know.” she responded hastily, already making a beeline for the door all the while Angel laughed.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0  
  
Following Razzle and Dazzle, Charlie could only wonder why her father requested her. If anything, it was probably about finding a suitor. She frowned thinking about all the scenarios in which her father would tell her that he wasn’t able to find a single soul that could’ve made her remotely happy.   
  
The servants soon came to a grinding halt and let their master continue on alone, opposed to getting any closer than already needed. Upon entering the grand foyer, Charlie was shocked to see not only her father but someone else standing right beside him; someone she knew of.   
  
“Uhh dad... what’s the radio demon doing here?” she asked timidly, confusion practically wafting off of her.   
  
“Why, I’ve brought you a suitor.” Lucifer came to stand beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently to ease her frazzled nerves.   
  
Her eyes widened significantly, “Him?” she squeaked, looking up to her father with ever growing concern. Just like ninety percent of hell, she knew very well of the radio demon’s reputation and was beyond baffled as to why her father thought he was a good choice.   
  
“Fear not, my little one, I’m not so rash as to just pick up some random sinner off the street. We bickered for a good bit but _unfortunately_ , I think he’d be the best suited for you.”   
  
Charlie shifted her gaze to the radio demon, who grinned at her, then back at her father. “You do?”   
  
Lucifer nodded as he pointed his cane at Alastor. “Though he may be a notorious sinner, he did make some good points about his mannerisms and that’s what pleased me most. Besides that, he’s agreed to my terms and knows _exactly_ what’s in store should he break a single rule.” he glared at the demon before leaning down to quell her fear with a whisper, “He may want another title, but he is very much against causing you any grief over your personality.”   
  
His words seemed to work on easing her fear if her small smile was anything to go by. “Now that we’re all acquainted, I suppose formal introductions are in order.” Lucifer announced cheerily.   
  
The radio demon took that as his cue and promptly walked right up to Charlie with a charming grin plastered on his face. “Alastor, my dear, and might I say it’s quite a pleasure to meet you.” he held out his hand and patiently waited for her.   
  
Charlie shuffled on her feet anxiously as she fumbled with holding out her hand. “H-hi, I’m Charlie.”   
  
Alastor chuckled then grabbed her hand and leaned down to place a chaste kiss on it. “No need to be anxious my dear, we are to be married after all.” he said smoothly, succeeding in making her face heat up.   
  
Pulling her hand away Charlie looked up to her father to see his eyes narrowed warningly at her newest intended. Wanting to lighten him up she clapped her hands together and asked nervously, “So, when is the ceremony?”   
  
Lucifer directed his attention to her again and grinned, “Not for an entire year, so don’t worry yourself with it.” he tapped her nose lightly. “The only thing you need to think about is spending time getting to know each other.” he added merrily.   
  
She smiled and visibly relaxed knowing that a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Her father really was looking out for her if he demanded they spend a whole year simply getting to know each other first.   
  
It was at this time that Alastor came to stand beside her, hands behind his back. “I can hardly wait.” he grinned, flashing his teeth at her in such a way that sent her nerves flaring up just the slightest.   
  
Lucifer then eyed Alastor, “So where is that help you oh so promised?” he teased.   
  
Alastor looked up and hummed, “I suppose I did mention bringing some help.” he snapped a finger and suddenly two individuals materialized from a cloud of smoke. He gestured to the smaller of the two first, “Consider this little darling here a token of my appreciation.”   
  
She bowed hastily as a smile spread widely across her face. “Hi, I’m Niffty and I’ll be sure that every speck of dirt is gone before you notice.”   
  
Alastor then motioned to the grumpy demon mumbling behind him. “And this fellow here is my personal assistant Husk. Though if you should need, he knows his way around the liquor." He winked eliciting a small laugh from Charlie.   
  
Husk only grunted, showing his disapproval over the matter by crossing his arms and turning away.   
  
Lucifer looked rather unimpressed as he gazed down at the apple atop his cane but Charlie was beaming. She loved making new friends, even if they were servants.   
  
Serveral feet behind them stood Vaggie and Angel Dust with vastly differing gazes.   
  
“Huh, guess she got herself a fancy new suitor.” Angel remarked boredly.   
  
“I don’t like this.” Vaggie muttered, a displeased frown setting in.   
  
An impish grin split his face. “When did you _ever_ like it?”   
  
She rolled her good eye and with an exasperated sigh remarked, “Please, I’m not _that_ vindictive.” she ignored the brow raised at her and continued with a worried expression, “I just know what he’s like, everyone does, and that can only spell doom for us... especially Charlie.” she uttered softly.   



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having been introduced the newbies are escorted through the household and given rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I went primitive camping and there's not a lick of internet out there.

After initial introductions Lucifer announced that he’d be showing their new guests to their rooms. Razzle and Dazzle perked up and were at the demon lord’s side in an instant. Vaggie on the other hand begrudgingly headed for the kitchen to prepare tonight’s dinner for the unexpected company. As for Angel Dust he made himself scarce, not wanting to be the rod that attracted Lucifer’s wrath.   
  
“This way.” Lucifer started climbing the flight of stairs with everyone else obediently trailing after, although some a bit more disinclined than others.   
  
Their first stop was quick, as it was on the first floor, with Lucifer standing in front of a door that marked the beginning of a long hallway. “This will be your room, Alastor.” he pointed with his cane while waiting for his daughter’s servants to open it.   
  
Now open, Alastor sauntered in and began surveying the room. It wasn’t as embellished as he would’ve thought but it wasn’t plain or small by any means. It was quite spacious, certainly big enough for him and a few hobbies.   
  
“I do hope it’s not _too_ ordinary for someone with your taste.” Lucifer smirked as if waiting for the other to retaliate.   
  
There was a small second of high-pitched static as Alastor whipped back around with a sharp smile and countered with, “On the contrary, I’d say it’s ideal. Afterall the purpose of a bedroom is for sleeping, with the exception of a few minor pastimes.”   
  
The two demons were now locked in a staring contest before Charlie spoke up nervously, “What about Niffty and Husk?”   
  
Lucifer was the first to break eye contact, giving her a lively smile. “Why, on the second floor with the rest of our esteemed servants of course.” he made sure to glance back at the radio demon as he mentioned this and took extreme satisfaction by the darkened smirk Alastor sent his way. He was going keep the lot of them as far apart as he could until he thought otherwise.   
  
Just as they made it to the second set of stairs, Alastor seized the opportunity and stood in front of Charlie with a grin. “May I assist you?” he bowed slightly and held out his hand just like earlier and waited for her response.   
  
Charlie felt her face flame up as she nodded and absently gave him her hand again. She noted how gently his claws curled around her hand as he led her up the flight of stairs. Once they reached the top, they were met with Lucifer’s intense gaze.   
  
“Starting early are we?” he questioned coolly, keeping a firm grip on his cane.   
  
Alastor released her hand as he answered smugly, “I do recall you mentioning that we should spend plenty of time getting to know one another.”   
  
Lucifer’s grin widened dramatically before he spun on his heels. “So I did.” he glanced back at the pair. “But why not save it for later, that way you have something to talk about over dinner.”   
  
“Okay dad.” Charlie chuckled, knowing her father was only trying to protect her from any more pain.   
  
Her answer lightened Lucifer’s mood as now there was a pep in his step as he led the newly acquired servants onward.   
  
Feeling a bit daring, Charlie peeked up at Alastor and was met with a large enough grin to show a small sliver of teeth. He gave her a playful wink before strolling after the rest of the group, leaving her to walk alone as she fought back another surge of heat that threatened to assault her face. She shook her head vigorously then slapped her cheeks a few times, making sure her complexion no longer resembled that of a rose before sprinting to catch up.   
  
Lucifer only stopped once they arrived at the end of the hallway and turned to his left. “Here you are... Husk was it?” he tapped his chin briefly to give the impression of trying to recall the demon’s name only to shrug indifferently.   
  
The demon Husk rolled his eyes and grumbled as he entered the room. Looking around he had to admit it was more accommodating than he’d thought he’d get with being a servant and all. And just as he remembered his position he turned and bowed albeit reluctantly.   
  
Not expecting such behavior from the withdrawn demon Lucifer decided to be generous. “Servants may accessorize their interior, if you so desire.” he then turned and walked straight across from Husk’s room with the two goat servants rushing right behind to open it.   
  
Lucifer craned back to look at Niffty. “And here’s your room.”   
  
An enormous grin swallowed her face as she dashed in with utter delight. “Oh wow, my own room!” she giggled sprinting about the place and inspecting every nook and cranny. “It’s a little dusty in here but nothing I can’t take care of.” she rambled aimlessly before running back to Lucifer with unbridled joy shining in her single eye. “And I get to _decorate_ it?!”   
  
The demon lord laughed at the energetic servant, “Naturally.” his grin widened as she squealed relentlessly, bouncing up and down on her heels. At least there was _one_ amusing servant around here to help liven things up.   
  
“Now that you all know where you’ll be staying how about a tour? Now let’s see who should—Ah I know,” he tapped his cane against the floor three times and simply waited. A few seconds ticked by with Husk and Niffty looking around the corridor in a perplexed manner until Vaggie appeared before them with her usual scowl in place.   
  
“Sir?” she asked, a large and bloody knife still in her clutches.   
  
“Sorry to interrupt dinner preparations, but I believe our new guests are in need of a quick tour.” he gestured to the three with his cane.   
  
“I do believe we could find our way if given the chance.” Alastor assured with a large grin.   
  
Lucifer held up a clawed hand and snickered, “I insist you humor me. Newcomers often find themselves lost in the labyrinth if not shown around at least once.”   
  
“Dad’s right, even the visitors we entertain often still wind up getting lost.” Charlie chimed in, making her father swell with pride as she urged them to obey.   
  
“What about dinner, sir?” Vaggie asked abruptly.   
  
Aware of the handmaiden once again, Lucifer simply plucked the knife from her hand. “I’ll see to it someone else takes care of it.”   
  
She scoffed softly but obliged. “Alright but we're going back downstairs, it’s easier to start there.” Vaggie watched annoyed as the four headed for the stairs, Charlie smiling whenever Alastor spoke. She hung back and sighed, massaging her temples to mentally prepare herself when the weight of Lucifer’s unmistakable cane landed on her shoulder.   
  
She cast him a puzzled look until he beckoned her closer with a single finger. Although hesitant she obeyed and edged closer to him.   
  
Knowing the handmaiden was uneasy, Lucifer leaned in the rest of the way and mumbled so that only she could hear, “Keep a close eye on him and his... minions in my absence. Let me know firsthand if you find anything suspicious.” he instructed.   
  
Vaggie looked back at the group just in time to see Charlie giggle at something Alastor had said and glared. She returned her gaze to Lucifer and nodded with resolve before leaving to catch up with the others.   
  
Lucifer watched her go, a pleased smile on his face knowing how serious she would take the task. When it came to his daughter’s happiness, the handmaiden felt the same as him and would do everything in her power to make sure things didn’t go _too_ awry. He glanced down at the knife before flipping it up and catching it midair. Now to find a temporary cook.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
After an arduous tour of the mansion and its impressive four floors, Vaggie led them back to the foyer where she then informed Husk and Niffty of their duties for the night. Charlie smiled as her friend and handmaiden prepped them for an intense evening until a familiar white figure caught her eyes. She turned to see Angel, donned in his usual attire, and quickly informed Vaggie that she’d be right back.   
  
Alastor merely watched as she ventured off to meet the demon, static humming softly as his eyes narrowed with curiosity.   
  
“You’re leaving already? You’ll miss dinner.” Charlie frowned. In her mind he was still too injured for nights and had hoped he’d take it easy but she knew all too well he wasn’t one to stay put for very long.   
  
“Yeah, got a client who’s too hot and bothered to keep it in his pants any longer.” he grinned shifting his gaze to the newest additions of the household. “It’s a damn shame I won’t be here to enjoy the party but they’ll get to know me later, so raincheck on that introduction.” he snapped his fingers then winked at her before heading out the massive double doors.   
  
She stared worriedly at the closed doors only to be interrupted by a filtered voice.   
  
“Quite the disobedient servant that one is.” Alastor said with a smirk.   
  
Charlie looked back to see the radio demon standing right behind her. “Oh, no Angel isn’t a servant he’s a guest.” she corrected.   
  
“Interesting, I didn't take your father as the type to allow such loathsome sinners residence here.” he sneered.   
  
“Believe me it took a _lot_ of convincing.” she mentioned proudly, crossing her arms and closing her eyes as she reveled in her past victory.   
  
“Oh? A former love interest of yours then?” Alastor teased with a wide smirk.   
  
Charlie’s eyes shot open and her arms flailed about. “No no no, not at all. He’s just someone I want to help deal with his eternal punishment.” she trailed off sadly, the large, infected gashes coming back to mind.   
  
Alastor chucked, “My dear it’s called eternal for a reason. There’s no need to fret over one’s repetitive punishment.”   
  
Charlie frowned, sorrow evident in her wavering voice, “Just because it’ll happen over and over again doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to help ease their pain.”   
  
Alastor cocked his head to the side in complete amusement. Did she really feel _sorry_ for these despicable sinners? It was laughable and completely insane but the very thought of her believing she could actually help these wretched souls brought him great satisfaction. It seemed like she was going to be a significant source of entertainment.   
  
He shrugged, “While I disagree entirely, I suppose it would be rather callous of me to dissuade you of your hobbies if they are important to you.”   
  
Charlie gave him a grateful smile before the sound of someone clearing their throat caught their attention. They turned to see Vaggie giving them a vexing glare with her arms crossed. “My lady—” for personal reasons she dared not utter the princess’ name in the presence of the radio demon. “—dinner is ready.” she turned away bounding for the dining area with the other servants treading behind her.   
  
“After you, dear.” Alastor bowed, motioning for her to move first.   
  
Charlie smiled as she followed the others with her intended right behind, hands behind his back in a composed manner.   
  
As they trickled in Alastor noticed how the servants immediately got to work setting the table. His ever-present smile morphed into a smirk when he saw Lucifer was already at the head of the table with a beautiful demon fawning over him on his left. There was no doubt she was Charlie’s mother, Lilith.   
  
It was then she noticed the pair and called out softly, “Charlie dear, come join us. Your father was just telling me all about this interesting new suitor of yours.”   
  
Vaggie and Husk stopped setting the wine glasses to briefly pull out the chairs on Lucifer’s right side for their respective masters. Charlie eagerly dashed on over to sit right beside her father while Alastor preferred to saunter. Only when both were seated did the servants return to their chores.   
  
“Alastor, so lovely to see you again.” Lilith greeted serenely.   
  
“Ah Lilith, you’re looking as gorgeous as ever.” he grinned, bowing his head a bit.   
  
She hummed, “Still the charmer I see. Tell me, what could our family possibly have to offer in order to gain your interest?”   
  
Lucifer took the moment to butt in. “I’m wondering the same thing.” he grabbed his recently filled glass and took a sip.   
  
“Lucifer dear, don’t taunt at the table. You’ll scare him off.” she chastised lightly, a soft smile adorning her face.   
  
Lucifer lazily swirled the wine around, looking incredibly bored with a touch of discontent laced in his voice. “I _highly_ doubt such a thing would scare a demon like him away.”   
  
Alastor laughed in agreement, “I assure you that won’t be the case, but to answer your question, Lilith, I’ve heard through the grapevine about dear Charlie’s simpleminded suitors and merely wanted to help.”   
  
Her silver eyes widened with mirth. “Is that what happened dear?” she turned to Lucifer expectantly.   
  
“More or less.” He replied vaguely, playing with the apple atop his cane before shooting Alastor a noticeable glare.   
  
He glared back, his own eyes darkening just the slightest to rival Lucifer. With the atmosphere heavy with tension Charlie despairingly thought of something to say when the servants placed various plates of food in front of every guest. It seemed to break the insufferable pressure and get everyone in a more relaxed state. They began to eat in a somewhat comfortable silence until Charlie caught Alastor eyeing the end of the table where the servants had gathered to eat.   
  
“Servants eating with us, why, I never thought I’d see such a thing.” Alastor admitted amusedly.   
  
Puzzled, Charlie asked, “Where else would they eat?” For as long as she could remember the servants have always eaten with them.   
  
The radio demon returned his eyes to her, “I assumed not with us, but I guess things are quite different here.” Charlie glared making him chuckle, “I never said it was a bad thing, my dear, merely surprising is all.”   
  
She settled down at that then took a bite of the sugary sweet on her plate while watching the new servants. Niffty was happily munching away, not at all disturbed by the contents on her plate. Charlie grimaced at the way blood steadily dripped off her fork. Then again, she was the only one who ever had a problem with eating hell’s residents and thus had begged Vaggie at an early age to make her anything else. She then shifted her gaze to Husk to see him eating sluggishly, like he’d rather be anywhere but here. He only perked up when Vaggie filled his empty glass with alcohol, and though it was clear like water Charlie knew it was much more potent than what her parents and Alastor were drinking. She grabbed her own beverage, looking down at the orange liquid before drinking it.   
  
“And what are you having, my dear?” Alastor inquired, studying the drink with mild interest.   
  
“Orange juice.” she replied happily. Alastor raised a brow at her. Discouraged, Charlie twiddled her thumbs in her lap. “I don’t really like the taste of alcohol, plus it makes my throat and stomach burn.” she elaborated sheepishly.   
  
Alastor lifted his glass with a small grin. “I assure you it isn’t that strong, care for a sip?”   
  
Charlie’s eyes flickered between the glass being offered and the bright red eyes staring at her until she caved and reached out to take it only for Alastor to wag his finger at her, effectively stopping her.   
  
“Allow me.” he insisted, gently grabbing her chin in between his thumb and forefinger before tilting it up to bring the glass to her black lips.   
  
Charlie practically blushed under those intense, blood-red eyes and found herself unable to tear away from his gaze as she parted her lips to allow the wine in. Unfortunately, as soon as it slid down her throat she wrenched away and began coughing up a storm.   
  
Alastor’s grin widened, finding the reaction amusing as the princess heaved before gulping down her juice. His fun, however, was short lived when not a moment later something wacked his shin without restraint. Alastor’s head snapped up with an eerie static hiss to stare at the one demon who had the _gall_ to do to such a thing and quickly noticed the previously present cane was no longer in sight, nor was the demon lord’s other hand.   
  
Lucifer simply ignored him as though nothing was amiss and gazed into his nearly empty glass before casually taking another sip.   
  
Alastor quickly wrote it off as the demon lord being protective and swiftly composed himself. “My apologies dear.” he offered her his napkin to invoke sincerity.   
  
Having finally stabilized herself with a few deep inhales she looked over to him and nodded, “It’s fine...” she took the napkin and wiped her mouth. “— but please, no more.”   
  
Alastor laughed finishing off the drink without even flinching.   
  
The rest of dinner ensued with little incident after that. Most of the chatting was done by Lilith who was curious about everyone’s day. After dinner the servants got to work clearing the table while the others headed for bed. Alastor had intended to walk Charlie up to her room, but before he could even ask Lucifer stepped in between them insisting they turn in early for the night after all the excitement today brought. Having been thwarted in his plans Alastor had bid Charlie goodnight and sauntered to his room where he waited about an hour before snapping his fingers.   
  
Husk and Niffty were suddenly in his presence and he grinned, “Do I need to remind you of your tasks?”   
  
“Nope.” Niffty clarified happily for the both of them.   
  
Alastor’s grin widened, “Very well, but Husk, my good man, I’m going to need you to monitor that residential sinner as well.”   
  
Husk snarled, tail flitting aggressively, “Are you shittin’ me?!”   
  
Unfazed by the outburst, Alastor continued, “An unforeseen inconvenience, but if his loyalties lie with the family then I’m afraid he may unravel everything and I can’t have that.” he shook his head halfheartedly.   
  
“Fine.” the demon grumbled, crossing his arms.   
  
Pleased, Alastor turned to face the window and looked out to Pentagram City with a grin that slowly morphed into a sinister smile. “Now that infiltration has been successful, it’s time to set the next phase into motion.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel is properly introduced and Alastor gets to learn a bit more about his intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long, this was originally two separate chapters that got mashed into one to be more interesting and because of that the chapter didn't flow smoothly. I'm not one to just say fuck it and post without going over my work thoroughly and spent days revising until I was satisfied, so here you go guys.

The following morning Alastor had awoken in a much better mood thanks to the time spent last night calculating his next moves. Though the obstacles he’d surely have to overcome would be vast, he’d made an effort to factor in all the possible variables he could think of. Therefore, if for some reason or another a wrench were to be thrown in his plans, he was confident enough that it would play out in his favor. Either way, the results would be satisfactory and was more than eager to get started that he couldn’t suppress the large grin splitting his face nor the eerie static coincided.   
  
Upon his entry to the dining room a soft yet chipper voice called out to him. “Morning.”   
  
His attention was directed to Charlie, who made her way to the table with a stack of plates and a bright smile plastered on her face. He grinned back at her curiously as he strode over, “And a good morning to you too my dear, I see you’re quite the early riser.” he commented, trying to generate as much charisma as he could.   
  
Charlie beamed, “Yeah, I like to make the most of my day you know? Not to mention, I like helping out in the mornings that way the servants can sleep in a bit.” she explained while setting them down before walking over to Vaggie and grabbing the utensils she’d already taken out.   
  
Alastor hummed, intrigued by the abnormality of it all. “I take it you do this every morning then?”   
  
She nodded enthusiastically, “Of course. It makes things go much faster.” She then set the array of silverware around the plates.   
  
Blood-red eyes tracked her every movement until it occurred to him that there was a considerable lack of rivaling aura in the room. His gaze shifted to the empty seats on his left then back to the princess who was now assisting her handmaiden. “I’m a bit surprised your parents aren’t here yet, they’re generally the punctual sort.” he remarked while snapping his fingers. In an instant the chair in front of him slid back enough for him to sit properly.   
  
Charlie paused briefly to peer up at the enormous clock hanging above them. “They should actually be down here soon.” she then turned to reveal a large platter in her hands, following the scowling handmaiden back to the table. “They like to sleep in too.” she added, holding the large dish as Vaggie silently plated all the food.   
  
He laughed, not expecting such an answer and just as he was about to make a witty comment, a loud yawn filled the room, drawing everyone’s attention to the entryway. It was the white demon from last night, sluggishly making his way to the table.   
  
“Morning. Did you just wake up?” Charlie asked, carefully taking in Angel’s worn-out self to see if she could make out any new injuries on the spot.   
  
“Heh, more like just got here.” he corrected, taking the seat across Alastor and stretching out his four limbs until they each popped.   
  
Charlie frowned, perplexed. “Wait, you never made it back?”   
  
With a relieved groan Angel combed back his hair fluff. “Nah, the bastard wouldn’t let me leave so I crashed with him instead.” When he saw the worry trickle into her eyes, he gave a nonchalant shrug. “It wasn’t that bad, better than sleepin’ out in the streets.” He then eyed the ever-smiling demon in front of him and smirked, his face resting on a single hand as he wiggled his claws from another at him. “Hey there, handsome.”   
  
Static hummed lowly as Alastor cocked his head to the side, “And who might you be?”   
  
His smirk widened, “I go by Angel Dust, but you can rename me if you’d like.” he teased, giving Alastor a suggestive wink.   
  
There was an abrupt shriek of static before Alastor brushed the flirtatious comment off with a curt laugh. “No, I think I’ll pass.”   
  
Angel merely shrugged, grin still in place. “Eh, your loss.”   
  
Vaggie grinned silently at the scene, taking immense pleasure in the radio demon’s reaction as she finished serving. She then retrieved the platter from the princess’ shaking hands to prevent any more mess. Unsteadily, Charlie made her way to her chair then collapsed into a fit of laughter that she tried to muffle with her hands. It was all in vain though, thus gaining the attention of some new arrivals.   
  
“Now what’s got my little one laughing so early in the morning in my absence?”   
  
Charlie glanced up through her giggling to see her mom and dad taking their seats with curious smiles on their faces.   
  
Seeing that she was having a hard time, Angel flashed them a toothy smile and answered instead. “Oh, you know, just hittin’ on the new guy as usual.”   
  
Lucifer’s already large grin seemed to widen dramatically as his eyes lit up with delight. “Well now that _is_ something to laugh about.” he snickered, shifting his gaze to the very demon and imagining the slightly disturbed face he’d made as Angel flirted with him.   
  
Lilith softly chuckled at the idea as well, completely missing the darkening of Alastor’s eyes as she turned to the furry demon. “It’s good to see you here with us this morning Angel, you almost never make it for breakfast.”   
  
He tucked two arms behind his head while crossing the other two. “I’m just as surprised as you but I guess I was more hungry than tired.” he concluded with a shrug.   
  
“Then please, eat.” she insisted with a graceful smile. “But do come find me later so we can talk about your recent escapades.”   
  
He flashed her an excited grin, “Sure thing gorgeous.”   
  
There was another soft laugh from her as Angel dug into his food. Unlike dinner, every other mealtime was something other than the remains of the recently nonexistent, which pleased Charlie to no end.   
  
With a large heave Charlie exhaled a lengthy sigh, effectively calming herself so she too could eat. The moment she bit into her meal all her focus was fixated on the sugary-sweet crepe, blissfully unaware of the red eyes staring at her.   
  
“Quite a sweet tooth you have there.” Alastor chuckled, ignoring the vigilant stare he received from Lucifer.   
  
Charlie paused mid-bite to see the amused smile on his face and laughed nervously, “I’ve had one since I was little and I guess I just never grew out of it.”   
  
He eyed her plate of sweets then raised a brow in a compelling manner. “Surely that’s not all you’re eating.” Grinning from ear to ear, he once again ignored the increasingly intensive stare sent his way.   
  
“For now, yes but I’ll have something else later.” She assured, taking another bite that instantly brought another smile to her face.   
  
Alastor observed her for a moment longer then went back to eating, content to listen in on other conversations that were already forming.   
  
“Charlie, did you have any plans today?” Lilith asked suddenly.   
  
She frowned, putting her fork down. “I actually did, why?”   
  
Lilith hummed, “It’s nothing really, your father and I are just going to visit some _friends_ of ours and were only curious if you wanted to attend.”   
  
Her frown deepened with slight annoyance. “Sorry but I’d rather not.”   
  
Having been born into royalty, she’s always attended any and all social gatherings that came with the territory. For a while it was alright, fun even, but lately it’s become something she’d rather be excluded from since she knew most of them, as well as their disdain for her.   
  
Lilith waved her hand in such a manner that meant it was acceptable. “That’s alright dear, I already assumed you wouldn’t want to go.”   
  
“I’d rather you not go anyway... I never liked the way they looked at you.” Lucifer added with obvious belligerence.   
  
To everyone else, it might seem as though Lucifer was calm and collected with that toothy smile on his face but Charlie knew he was anything but. She could hear it in his slightly strained voice. He was livid. There were few families she actually didn't know by name and this must’ve been one of them if she couldn’t put a face to the demons of her father’s anger.   
  
The air was stagnant for a solid minute before Lucifer perked back up and inquired what she’d be doing while they were away for the day.   
  
“I’m going to see if anyone else will let me tend to their injuries.” she stated happily.   
  
“Again?” Lucifer’s brows knitted together before he responded with, “Well as long as your handmaiden accompanies you than I don’t see why not. Just make sure you punch anyone who dares to lay a single hand on you.” he tacked on with an overzealous smirk.   
  
“Dad—” she drawled out, “—that’s counterproductive to what I’m trying to accomplish you know.” she chided with a playful smirk.   
  
He fiddled with his cane for a bit, an amused smile on his features. “Be that as it may, it would mean they didn’t deserve your help in the first place.” he reminded, getting a small laugh out of her.   
  
Meanwhile Alastor had cocked his head to the side in utter confusion. While she had mentioned something like that last night, he didn’t think she’d actually _tried_ it beforehand. Interesting.   
  
Sometime between conversations, the rest of the servants had trickled in and were currently eating at the opposite end with Vaggie in a somewhat comfortable silence. After breakfast Lilith and Lucifer left to ready themselves while Charlie helped Vaggie and the others clean up, not wanting them to be stuck with all the work after just waking up.   
  
Alastor momentarily observed with mild curiosity as she offered the servants her help before slipping out of the room and heading straight for the parlor. He’d just wait until she was done playing servant to ask her on a walk, but as he set foot in the room Lucifer intercepted him.   
  
“Alastor, a word if you will.” he stated calmly with a slight tilt of his head.   
  
Alastor merely raised a brow and waited for him to speak.   
  
Lucifer wore a smile but there was the slightest inkling of distress in his demeanor, as if he were conflicted about the subject at hand. “As you know my daughter plans to go on a little expedition today, and given the very nature of this wicked place I fear for her emotional state... which is why you’ll be accompanying her as well.” he instructed firmly.   
  
There was a small hint of static as Alastor’s smile grew smug. “And here I was thinking the last thing you wanted was for me to be anywhere near her.”   
  
Lucifer chuckled lowly, “Oh I’m not exactly _thrilled_ about the idea, what with your reputation and all, but her handmaiden will be there to honor my wishes so I’m not too worried. The sole benefit of you going is that a single look at you and almost every sinner will become a spineless coward.”   
  
Alastor considered this with a pleased hum, “I suppose it would be fun to tag along.”   
  
Lucifer acknowledged the response with a quick nod only for yellow eyes to narrow dangerously a second later, “Be sure she returns without a single scratch—” he then gave him a malevolent smirk. “—otherwise, your legs may not fare well come dinner time.”   
  
There was an abrupt screech of static as Alastor narrowed red eyes at him dangerously. He knew the demon lord had been the culprit, but to actually hear a clear admission in the form of a threat really solidified it and irked him indefinitely. However, he also knew better than to act and therefore settled for a fierce glaring session instead.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
Charlie happily saved a recently dried dish given to her by Husk only to frown as he fumbled with another one. Her frown was soon replaced with a smile when an idea popped in her head. “Hey why don’t you and Niffty go on and get started on your others chores, me and Vaggie got this.” she assured.   
  
“Okay!” Niffty beamed, hopping down from the cabinet and shooting out with a feather duster in hand.   
  
Husk was rather sluggish in his escape but seemed more than happy to dodge kitchen duty and was gone in seconds, giving the girls and Angel a bit of privacy.   
  
“Boy, she’s fast.” Angel commented before focusing on Charlie. “Anyway, sooo how’s the new guy coming along?” he asked, laying his head on the table as he let out a loud yawn.   
  
There was an audible humph as Vaggie glowered, “About as friendly as everyone else before they got too comfortable and their true colors came rearing their ugly heads.”   
  
Charlie’s frown returned as she watched her friend’s bow starting to morph. “Come on Vaggie he’s not that bad.” she then put the dried plate in her grasp away.   
  
“Yet...” The handmaiden huffed, vigorously scrubbing at the utensils to channel her growing ire. “He’s just biding his time and waiting for the right moment is all.”   
  
“Geez you make it sound like the guy’s a mastermind or somethin’.” Angel replied while lazily smoothing out his chest fur.   
  
A resounding clatter filled the room as Vaggie whipped around, hair flaring wildly. “That’s because he is!” she snarled.   
  
His carefree attitude suddenly morphed into one of anger as he lifted his head, “Hey now, don’t fuckin’ take it out on me! How was I supposed to know?!” he retorted.   
  
She growled, hair whipping around in every direction as her aura intensified. “You’ve been here _how_ long and never once heard about him?!”   
  
Charlie glanced between them with a worried look as they lashed out at each other.   
  
Angel bared his teeth at Vaggie, “It’s not exactly the kind of thing I pay attention to you know. If he ain’t a client then I know nothin’.” he countered, crossing his arms and glaring at her.   
  
“Guys calm down... please?” Charlie begged, needing to quell their anger before it was too late. One look at the saddened princess was all it took to deflate and cease their squabbling and focus on her instead. “Look, Vaggie’s right, Alastor is notorious for being a very powerful demon, but he also hasn’t done anything yet so I don’t see the point in treating him so coldly.”   
  
Vaggie’s gaze averted to the floor while Angel raised a brow.   
  
Charlie sighed, “I’m not saying we shouldn’t be on our guards... I just think he should be given a chance.”   
  
The handmaiden’s eye was suddenly fixated on her again as a worried frown appeared, “Charlie, I just don’t want to see you get heartbroken again if he’s only after the throne.”   
  
The princess cast her eyes to the pristine floor as she whispered, “I already know that’s what he’s after, but so far he’s already better than the others.” she perked up at the end, an all too hopeful gleam shining in her eyes.   
  
Angel smirked, “Yeah, at least this guy hasn’t tried groping her ass. How many of them other shmucks did that on the first day again?” he asked, already counting on his fingers.   
  
Vaggie facepalmed then groaned out, “Too many to remember.”   
  
“See? Already a better guy than usual and pretty hot too.” he laughed, getting an annoyed sigh out of the handmaiden and a bubble of laughter from Charlie.   
  
The princess huffed, putting the last dry dish away then turned with a big smile and hands on her hips, “So who’s coming with me?”   
  
Angel let a drawn-out yawn, “Pass. Gotta sleep for later.” he remarked tiredly before slipping out of the room.   
  
Her eyes darted over to Vaggie with an expectant smile. “Looks like it’s just you and me again.”   
  
Vaggie gave her a soft smirk, “Alright, just wait in the foyer while I finish up.”   
  
Charlie smiled excitedly and while her handmaiden resumed washing the utensils, she busied herself with gathering the large first aid kit in one of the cabinets then left for the foyer. With her parents having already left by now, she stood alone in the room and quickly became bored without another soul to talk to.   
  
“And where are we off to this fine morning?”   
  
Charlie jumped with a soft gasp, not expecting the radio demon.   
  
Alastor laughed, finding the reaction quite entertaining. “Sorry, scaring you wasn’t my initial intention.” he smiled, large teeth on display.   
  
She exhaled with a breathless chuckle, “It’s fine, I just thought you’d be with mom and dad is all... wait, why _are_ you still here?” she questioned, eyeing him suspiciously.   
  
He gave her a light laugh, then tilted his head to the side, “It’s quite simple really, I’ve been extending myself to others for years and it’s become rather tiresome. Why do that again when I could have a new, possibly exciting adventure?” his arms extended out as far as they could as he gave her an exhilarated smile.   
  
“You _want_ to come?” Charlie asked skeptically. Even with his newfound enthusiasm she was filled with disbelief that he’d want to join on her outings.   
  
There was another bout of laughter before red eyes met hers again. “Why of course, what better way to get to know my intended than accompanying her?” he smirked, drawing closer to place a clawed finger underneath her chin and stroking lightly.   
  
The gesture had her fumbling for a response as her face warmed. Alastor found the sight comical and was going to tease her when a heavy groan disrupted the moment.   
  
“I should’ve known you’d be coming too.”   
  
Both turned to see the handmaiden approaching with a sharp glare directed at the radio demon. He raised a brow at her bold statement and offered her a wide, menacing grin, “And why ever wouldn’t I?”   
  
Undeterred, Vaggie merely rolled her good eye at him. “Fine but don’t be surprised if you find yourself bored after five minutes.” she warned lightly.   
  
“I assure you that anything is better than being confined here all day.” he proclaimed, not missing the handmaiden’s doubtful scoff. There was absolutely no way he’d pass the opportunity to charm the princess, no matter the circumstances thrown his way.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
As the trio roamed the streets of Hell, Alastor noticed the infinite number of glares and murderous gazes sent the princess’ way. He found himself rather intrigued with the way she seemed to brush them off, simply ignoring their glowering as she pressed on. It seemed she was more than used to this sort of treatment as was her handmaiden. It was very entertaining to watch as she glared and brandished her spear at every demon that so much as dared to even _breathe_ in their direction. Deciding to join in on the fun he began terrorizing sinners with a quick shift of his eyes. His smirk widened with each new frightened soul and relished in the thrill of being feared.   
  
For a while Charlie merely surveyed the occupants of Hell when she suddenly veered off to the right and knelt by a rather large, wolf-like demon who was groaning like a broken record. Now in closer proximity, she noticed the wound the demon was clutching on his left side was bleeding profusely.   
  
The demon’s mood only seemed to worsen with her presence and seethed with narrowed slits, “What the hell do you want?”   
  
Charlie frowned, “That looks pretty bad. If you’d like I could help with the pain.” she coaxed gently.   
  
The demon snarled threateningly, “I don’t want your help bitch so get lost.” his left paw flexed, claws growing incredibly long as it poised to strike.   
  
She backed away immediately and was instantly shoved behind Vaggie, who was now growling at the demon in her native tongue with her spear just barely poking the demon’s furry neck.   
  
“Follow us and I won’t hesitate to slice you up.” she warned, only pulling the blade away when the demon returned to his injured side with a pained whimper.   
  
Charlie felt tears well in her eyes as she watched the demon bear with the obvious torture.   
  
“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Vaggie insisted sternly, waiting for her princess to move first.   
  
She said nothing as she turned away and ventured on to find a patient willing to accept her help.   
  
As they wandered aimlessly through Hell, Alastor made it a note to inform the handmaiden about how wrong she was later. He was having the time of his life as he watched Charlie desperately try to offer demon after demon help only for her to be rejected at every turn. The satisfaction he got from seeing all the miserable souls choosing to suffer rather than accept her assistance was immense and exactly what he craved.   
  
By the time Charlie had finally given up it was nearly time for dinner and thus decided to head back. Alastor walked beside the disheartened princess who sighed, her shoulders sagging in absolute defeat as she lugged the heavy first aid kit. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to appeal to her vulnerable state, he stopped and plucked the kit right out of her hands then shoved it into the arms of the flustered handmaiden.   
  
Big, sad eyes locked with bright red for a moment before he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his side. “Don’t look so discouraged my dear, I’m sure you’ll find some poor soul who’ll desire your help another day. Just be patient and remember that you’re dealing with the worst of sinners here.”   
  
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she wiped at her teary eyes.   
  
“As much as I hate to agree with him, he’s right. The odds of finding someone who’d be willing to let you patch them up are slim to none. Angel was already a lucky break.” Vaggie added softly.   
  
Charlie felt her smile grow the tiniest bit more at their attempts of comfort. “Yeah, I guess you guys are right...”   
  
Vaggie gave a sad smile while Alastor merely grinned, releasing her so they could continue.   
  
Resuming their trek back home, Charlie gazed up at Alastor who immediately fixated on her, making her nerves flare up as she tried to speak.   
  
“Something the matter dear?” he asked with an inquisitive grin.   
  
“No, I uh—just wanted to thank you for saying that...” her eyes slowly shifted to the road ahead as she became crestfallen. “No one else but Vaggie has ever tried to cheer me up about this before.”   
  
Alastor’s smile never wavered but his brows furrowed ever so slightly, expressing the tiniest amount of pity. “Now what kind of suitor would I be if I didn’t manage to brighten your mood?”   
  
“Even though you think it’s nonsense?” she asked monotonously.   
  
Alastor laughed softly, “While I do find it absurd, this clearly means a lot to you if you’re willing to risk getting shredded to pieces, and my commitment as your intended is to keep you cheery after all.”   
  
Charlie smiled brightly and thanked him once again.   
  
“Anytime, my dear.” he answered with an eager smile.   
  
Vaggie felt herself easing up when she heard the soft exchange of words. Maybe Charlie was right, maybe the radio demon did deserve a chance. Although, no sooner had the thought entered her mind did she regret it as she witnessed his smile stretch into a more foreboding one. No, he was definitely up to something and it was her job to find out what.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to get closer to Charlie, Alastor plans to take her on a walk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, holidays kicked my ass.

Alastor hummed lightly as he leisurely roamed the halls of the elaborate mansion in search of Charlie. After the successful events of last night, he was determined to further her growing trust in him and he had just the activity in mind to do so. Now if only he could locate her. He knew she resided somewhere on the fourth floor, but with Lucifer as protective as he is, he’d made sure not to disclose her exact whereabouts. Just as he was about to ascend another flight of stairs, he caught sight of the very princess he was seeking on the floor above him.   
  
“Ah, there you are my dear.” he greeted animatedly.   
  
Charlie flashed him a confused smile as she descended, not expecting to run into him so soon. “Were you looking for me?”   
  
“Indeed, I was.” he offered her a hand when she was close enough and grinned when she took it with only a hint of hesitancy. “I was hoping you would accompany me on a little walk.”   
  
She grew slightly nervous and asked, “Where did you have in mind?” Not that the problem was the suggestion, merely that she was skeptical on _why_ he was suggesting it.   
  
Alastor smiled down at her as he led them downstairs. “Nowhere in particular. I simply thought a nice walk would be a pleasant way to spend time together.”   
  
Her face warmed at the thoughtful reasoning and smiled up at him. “That sounds nice.”   
  
Meanwhile, Vaggie was busy tending to the marble sculptures in the foyer when she noticed Charlie and Alastor heading for the door. She ceased her chore at once and called out to them. “Going out, my lady?” she asked, a single brow raising in concern.   
  
The pair were stopped in their tracks by Charlie as she properly acknowledged her handmaiden. She then nodded with a cheery grin, “Alastor suggested we go on a walk.”   
  
“A walk?” Vaggie frowned, walking over to them. “Where to?” A sense of dread suddenly gripped her, fearing for the princess’ safety. Who knew what the radio demon would do to her once they were outside the mansion’s protective walls.   
  
Alastor remained quiet but attentive while Charlie answered with a small shrug of her shoulders and hands. “Just around I guess.”   
  
“Really?” her frown suddenly morphed into a smug grin. “Then I guess he won’t mind if I join.”   
  
There was a sudden low hum of static as vibrant, red eyes narrowed for a split second before returning to their lively nature. “Of course not, the more the merrier.” he announced exuberantly, the eerie static no longer present.   
  
Charlie was grinning from ear to ear as she practically dragged Vaggie out the door while Alastor glared intently at her, the static returning much more audibly. Under no circumstance did he want the servant around but since he had agreed to Lucifer’s terms, he didn’t really have much of a choice if he wanted to get on the royals’ good sides. So, with a faux smile he disappeared then reappeared in front of them, halting them in their tracks as their faces contorted in awe.   
  
“Wow, I didn’t know you could do that.” Charlie beamed, amazed by such an ability she surely lacked.   
  
Alastor chuckled. “It’s something I tend to avoid using if I don’t have to, really.” he stated vaguely.   
  
This in turn furthered her amazement for the radio demon, much to Vaggie’s misfortune. It was only when Charlie bounded off, did she send an icy glare his way, making sure to keep eye contact as she summoned her trusty spear in hand. The only response he gave her was a tilt of his head and a darkened smirk. Her eye narrowed to a slit as she bared her teeth at him in a silent growl. He may have Charlie convinced he deserved a chance, but she wasn’t going to be swayed so easily and she let him know it.   
  
“I’ll be watching your every movement, so don’t get any bright ideas.” she warned lowly.   
  
There was a change in the air as he chuckled darkly, “You’d do well to mind your tongue, for I do adore a challenge.” the static was back once again.   
  
Her glare tugged into a smirk as she uttered, “Bring it on.” Maybe if she were able to provoke him just enough, he’d snap and therefore expose the travesty she suspected was at hand. Although, there was a moment, when Alastor’s glare deepened the static grew louder and shadows began flitting about ominously, sending a wave of fear all throughout her body.   
  
“Uh, guys?” The two demons ceased their antics at once and turned to see Charlie waiting with a nervous smile. “Coming?” she asked.   
  
Alastor’s happy smile was back instantly, without any trace of the eldritch static. “Certainly, just a disagreement that needed sorting out is all.” he assured her.   
  
She then looked to Vaggie who nodded stiffly, trying to calm herself from the lingering fear that wracked her body.   
  
Once Charlie turned around again, she glared at Alastor, albeit warily. “This isn’t over.” she hissed softly.   
  
“Oh, I believe it is.” he smirked before summoning his staff and waving it.   
  
Almost instantaneously, she was constricted tightly by two shadows that bore a striking resemblance to voodoo dolls. She struggled against them as she watched the radio demon teleport over to Charlie and offer her his arm to latch onto. He then looked back at her with an alarming smile spreading across his face. Vaggie snarled and thrashed fiercely against the shadow bindings, ignoring their amused snickering at her futile attempts of escape.   
  
After binding the handmaiden, Alastor led Charlie aimlessly through town. After all, the ultimate goal of this little walk was to get the princess accustomed to his overwhelming presence. Having her comfortable around him would in turn eventually lower her parents’ protective guards, especially Lucifer, and make the transition into the next phase of his plan much easier. The smile he was currently sporting widened slightly. There was not a doubt in his mind that he couldn’t pull it off. He peered down at the princess attached to his arm to see how she was fairing. There was a big smile plastered on her face as she surveyed the area with great interest. Clearly, she hadn’t been here before or if she had then it certainly had been a while if her curiosity was this spirited.   
  
That’s when she released his arm and went to peer over a large cliff that overlooked a large chunk of the endless expanse that was Hell. He moved to join her when something sharp poked into his back. A small hint of static rang out before he calmly turned his head to see the angry handmaiden growling at him in a language he didn’t quite understand.   
  
“Ah, I see you managed to break free.” Alastor grinned amusedly. He had to give her credit for unbinding herself in such a short amount of time.   
  
Vaggie huffed with a piercing glare, “What kind of cheap trick was that?” she growled, gripping the beloved spear tighter.   
  
“Why, one that you asked for.” he answered with a smug laugh. He then spun around and moved the offending weapon away with a single finger. “You issued the challenge and I acted accordingly, therefore the only one to blame for how I responded is you.” he added with another laugh.   
  
The handmaiden’s glare intensified as did her growling but he paid her no mind as Charlie came bounding back to them with utter joy in her voice. “Vaggie, can you believe where Alastor led us? Remember when mom and dad used to take us here to watch the royal duels at night?”   
  
Though Charlie’s obliviousness to the situation brewing at hand annoyed her, Vaggie softened at the nostalgic expression spreading over the princess’ face. “Yeah, it was pretty fun watching them all make asses of themselves.”   
  
“Then dad would step in and put them all to shame.” Charlie reminisced fondly.   
  
Vaggie snorted, retracting her spear to stand at her side. “It was even funnier when your mom would do it, since no one wanted to fight her.”   
  
Alastor cocked his head to the side at the display of recollection and interjected, “Care to enlighten me?”   
  
“Oh yeah, sorry.” Charlie giggled, “I never got to actually see it, but from what dad says, a lot of demons challenged my mom’s power one day and were pretty baffled when she told them she could take them all by herself. Dad said they thought they had an easy win and were shocked when she beat them all without even lifting a finger. I doubted it for the longest time but when I was finally old enough to start remembering, I noticed no one wanted to fight her unless she’d go easy on them.” she explained while breaking out into another laugh.   
  
Alastor laughed as well as he envisioned the whole thing. “What a riveting story, my dear. Might I add that your mother would indeed have to be quite strong to tame the likes of your father.”   
  
“You’re right about that.” Charlie agreed thoughtfully while Vaggie simply rolled her eye at him.   
  
Alastor then spread an arm out. “Now then, shall we continue?”   
  
The princess grinned and walked on while he lingered behind. He waited for the grumbling servant to pass him then promptly shoved her into a nearby pit of tar and muck. A pleased smirk split his face as the sounds of gagging filled the air. He then turned back and gave her a curt bow before catching up with Charlie, who was unaware of the war he and her handmaiden were currently waging.   
  
Grey claws frantically scrambled for something to grab onto as she struggled in the sticky gunk when they suddenly bumped into a sturdy rock. Finally finding purchase, Vaggie pulled with all her might and heaved herself halfway out of the pit. She coughed up the sludge that had filled her lungs then inhaled deeply a few times before growling in her native tongue again. Oh, the report back to Lucifer was going to be absolutely satisfying.   
  
After having lost the handmaiden, once again, Alastor made sure to keep Charlie occupied with various destinations so that she wouldn’t notice the absent servant. In fact, she had been ‘absent’ at least five more times since the pit incident. Alastor was both amused but slightly annoyed that she kept bouncing back to them so quickly. He’d thought it’d take her much longer to escape the many traps he’d pushed her into, so it wasn’t a surprise when she found them yet again by the brick bank of a tainted canal. He turned in time to see the vexed servant storming up to them and grinned with an irate undertone. He quickly slipped into the shadows and appeared right before her as not to alert Charlie.   
  
“Quite the determined type, aren’t we?” he commented vaguely, his hands clasping together behind his back.   
  
The handmaiden’s frown shifted into a smirk. “You won’t get rid of me _that_ easily.” she replied smugly.   
  
Alastor merely grinned then snapped his fingers.   
  
All too soon, the familiar feeling of shadows winding around her torso returned and before she knew it, she was pulled into the ground. Not even a second later she landed gracelessly onto a hard surface. With a groan she picked herself up only to be blinded by a flood of bright lights. Squinting through the harsh brilliance she noticed a large crowd of demons circling around her accompanied by an unnerving amount of cheering and whistling. It all caused her to back up until she collided with something cold. She craned her head back to see what it was only to narrow her eyes in momentary confusion as she realized it was a tall pole. A sinking feeling began to bubble in the pit of her stomach as she whipped her head around and saw a few more poles that had other demons using them in obscene ways. She then blanched. To her absolute horror it finally registered that she’d been transported to a strip club.   
  
Her hair and bow flared wildly in every direction as she let out a vicious snarl. “Damnit!”   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
Having finally put some distance between Charlie and the handmaiden, Alastor strode right up to her while humming pleasantly. “Care to visit a place I frequent?”   
  
“Sure.” Charlie responded happily, turning away from the tainted river that once held her attention. Her smile then vanished as she scanned the vicinity with a perplexed look on her face. “Where’s Vaggie?”   
  
Keeping his calm demeanor Alastor shook his head, “Don’t worry, my dear, she merely needed to attend to something regarding your home. She’ll be right back.” he assured, lightly tapping his claw to her nose.   
  
Charlie let out a soft giggle at the tickling sensation it left. “Alright, she’ll be able to find us easily enough anyway.” She didn’t dwell on it, on account of that this sort of thing, while rare, has happened before prior to meeting the radio demon.   
  
With that, Alastor grinned and held out his hand. This time she took it without delay and that made his grin widen. He then led her to a small building that seemed dead on the outside, but when they entered Charlie was taken aback by how alive it actually was. Having only been associated with a finer type of lifestyle, she easily found herself captivated by the widely diverse scene. The joint was abundant with alcohol, and music, leading her to believe it was some sort of bar. Sinners here were heavily relaxed and indulging themselves in their vices without the pressure of having to keep up a highly dignified persona as they eagerly chattered and gambled with one another.   
  
Alastor watched her every reaction closely and was delighted to see her enthralled by the drastic change in atmosphere. He, on the other hand, relished in the familiarity of something from his own time. He then abruptly made his way over to a vacant table and sat down. Charlie followed suit and took the empty chair next to him with an elated grin on her face as she was further exposed to the lax culture.   
  
“So, what do you think? Pretty mesmerizing isn’t it?” he asked with a knowing grin. The probability that she’d never experienced such a lifestyle before was exceptionally high, and he was going to exploit that fact to nourish her growing bond with him.   
  
“It really is!” Charlie beamed at him excitedly, “This is so different than what my parents and their guests do.” she then eyed him curiously. “Wait, I thought you were more into the classical stuff like them.”   
  
Alastor laughed, “Indeed I am but this is also part of my heritage.”   
  
Charlie blinked in confusion, “I never would have guessed.” she added softly before the change in music startled her and swept her attention away as the tempo morphed into something faster. She was now transfixed by the many sinners who rushed to the clearing and began dancing in a manner she’d never seen before. The moves were wild and loosely coordinated with most dancing on their own, but those that did have a partner were dancing in a similar fashion except with more synchronization like that of a waltz. Charlie found the whole thing extraordinary and watched with absolute fascination.   
  
Alastor’s grin widened at how enamored she was by it all. He’d had a hunch she’d find it interesting but certainly not to this degree. Seizing another opportunity, he quickly stood before her and outstretched his hand.   
  
“Care for a dance?” he asked with hooded eyes, infusing as much charm into the request as he possibly could.   
  
Bewitched by the radio demon’s alluring countenance, Charlie ever so slowly placed her hand into his. Pleased by her acceptance, Alastor pulled her onto the dance floor where he then drew her close and fell into the familiar rhythm of the music, guiding the princess along. Using what she learned from her observations she quickly fell into sync with him and soon enough they were dancing like the others. After a minute or so, Alastor twirled her out of his arms and she surprisingly continued to dance, switching to the moves the single dancers were using instead. Utilizing his shadows, he teleported back to his seat where he watched her dance with such enthusiasm that it put the regulars here to shame.   
  
The song ended all too quickly and left Charlie in a panting mess as she returned to the table her intended occupied.   
  
Alastor laughed amiably then gave her a dazzling smile, “I must say I’m certainly impressed with how well you performed just now.” In truth he didn’t think she’d get it down so quickly and was completely thrown for a loop.   
  
Charlie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her shoulder as she laughed modestly, “I was only dancing the way everyone else was.”   
  
“Yes, but the passion you imbued vastly outshined any other demon with prior experience.” he countered quickly.   
  
The compliment had her smiling brightly. “It’s definitely different than dad’s polka or mom’s classical music. It’s more upbeat and fun.”   
  
Red eyes lit up with mirth. “Polka you say?” Of all the things the King of Hell could like, it happened to be polka. Perhaps this information could prove to be useful at a later date.   
  
Charlie laughed, “Dad really likes it. I do too but I think I like this more. What is it?” she asked curiously, an eager smile splayed across her face.   
  
Alastor chuckled, finding her genuine curiosity oddly refreshing. “This, my dear, is jazz. One of the livelier forms of music my time had to offer.”   
  
Charlie regarded him with wonder when a loud bang startled her. She whipped her head over to where the sound originated to see Vaggie in the open doorway, heaving with fury. A lone demon stalked in right behind her and grinned while putting a hand full of cash on her rear. She snarled then cocked a fist back and promptly socked the demon in the face. The unsuspecting demon fell to the ground with a pained groan as the handmaiden scanned the crowd. When her eyes locked with Charlie’s she stomped right over, the glare never leaving her face. Just as she was about to reprimand them, the princess beat her to it.   
  
“Hey Vaggie, where were you? You missed all the fun!” Charlie beamed, standing up to express her glee. “This place is amazing! The music here is fast paced and the dancing is incredibly upbeat. I even managed to get the moves right.” she squealed with delight.   
  
Any ire the handmaiden harbored quickly diminished as Charlie’s unbridled joy surfaced. She shot the radio demon an annoyed glare that only seemed to sour with the addition of his smug smile. It’s like he _knew_ she’d be lenient up if Charlie were involved.   
  
With a sigh she reluctantly asked, “Was it really that enjoyable?”   
  
Charlie nodded vigorously, “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.” she admitted softly, the bright smile never wavering.   
  
Vaggie pinched the bridge of her nose as a means to gather herself mentally before addressing the elated princess. “I’m glad you had fun but we should _really_ start heading home now.”   
  
“Alright...” Charlie replied with dismay, then perked back up with hopeful eyes directed at Alastor. “Could we do this again?”   
  
He teased her with a toothy smile, “Hmm, that depends on your guard dog.”   
  
The handmaiden stiffened at Alastor’s redirection as Charlie was now begging her with big, sparkling eyes. “Please, Vaggie?”   
  
The corners of her lips tugged into a small smile as she eventually caved. “Alright, but I have to be present from now on.” she demanded, crossing her arms in a manner that was meant to be regarded seriously.   
  
Alastor shrugged nonchalantly, “Fair enough.”   
  
Another excited squeal from Charlie filled the air, and in that moment Vaggie felt that, just this once, she could look the other way on reporting to Lucifer about Alastor’s attempts to be alone with Charlie.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things should start picking up speed as far as writing goes since we're about to get into some really fun and interesting chapters. ^_^


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie recounts her day to her parents then later embarks on another mission to treat the wounded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter, I had loads of fun writing it.

  
When Charlie woke up the next morning she was in a very chipper mood, granted she rarely ever woke up in a foul one, but today she was bursting with more positive energy than usual. The reason being happened to stem from yesterday’s events. She could barely contain her bright smile as she dressed and hurried down to help out in the kitchen. Apparently, getting to learn something about her intended that didn’t relate to his infamous carnage seemed to boost her morale, thus drawing out her increasing desire to spend time with him. Which is why, after she’d helped set the table, there was a radiant smile on her face as she patiently waited for the chance to recount the spectacular day with her parents.   
  
She didn’t have to wait long at all, because as soon as her mother sat down, she immediately noticed her daughter’s bubbling avidity and with a graceful smile asked, “My, my, you must have finally found some sinners willing to let you help them out if you’re this effervescent.”   
  
Charlie shook her head as she hastily finished chewing. “That would have been ideal but that’s not it.” she teased lightly.   
  
“Oh?” Silver eyes gleamed with curiosity. “Well don’t keep me in suspense.” she urged with refined eagerness.   
  
The smile on the princess’ face seemed to brighten even more as she revealed the source of her exhilaration. "Alastor took me out for a walk yesterday.”   
  
Lucifer paused mid-bite then cleared his throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “Did you now?” his predatory gaze slowly locked with the handmaiden’s who stoically pointed at the enormous clock to convey that it had been way too late to inform him of where they had ventured off too.   
  
“Yes, and it was so much fun!” she squealed.   
  
Lilith seemed to share her daughter’s enthusiastic joy but with a more reserved nature as she inquired about their time together. “Go on and tell me all about it, Charlie dear.”   
  
“Yes, and don’t withhold _any_ details.” Lucifer added with a hint of agitation. It wasn’t as though he was against the progression with the engagement, he wanted his daughter to be happy after all, but he also loathed being unaware of what they were doing every second of the day. And though he never made it a requirement to report their activities, he still desired to know all the particulars that went on in his absence. He mentally cursed himself for not tacking that on originally and wrestled with the idea of adding it or not if only for his daughter’s safety. He faintly shook his head. There’d be plenty of time to dwell on that later. For now, he listened intently as Charlie excitedly recounted the activities.   
  
“—And then Vaggie left for a bit and that’s when Alastor showed me this incredible bar with lots of lively music and awesome dancing!”   
  
“You two were alone?” Lucifer aimed a glare at the radio demon, who wore a fairly convincing pseudo-smile, then shifted it to the handmaiden.   
  
Lilith sighed softly, trying to placate him with a soothing hand over his. “Really now Lucifer, all this fuss over a trivial matter?”   
  
Without breaking his gaze, he responded in a strained voice, “I’d hardly call it trivial when it was decided they’d have an escort at all times unless I deemed otherwise.”   
  
Charlie’s happy mood quickly deflated at her father’s disgruntlement. She hadn’t thought it was such a big deal since Vaggie had been with them all day. It was only up until they’d entered the bar that she’d vanished and even then, she hadn’t been gone long. Now she was worried Vaggie might be reprimanded for her own reckless behavior. This all could’ve easily been avoided had she just waited instead of rushing out the mansion. There was suddenly an overwhelming amount of guilt that began eating away at her soul as she mulled over a way to rectify the situation.   
  
Alastor on the other hand was watching everything take place with an amused smile, reveling in the mass chaos that the princess unintentionally caused. This was exactly the kind of entertainment he’d yearned for and was soaking up every second of it like a sponge that had been deprived of water.   
  
Sensing the rising tension, Vaggie took the moment to stop eating and calmly stood to address the demon lord properly. “Forgive my discourtesy sir. I’d hastily left without telling anyone, and when I realized we’d be out all day I returned to let the others know that they were to take over dinner preparations then went back as quickly as I could and met them at the bar.” she then bowed to show her deepest apologies.   
  
Black slits remained glued to her for a long moment before eventually conceding. “Well that explains why dinner was lacking in taste, there was hardly any blood on my plate.” he laughed, the tension in the air dissipating almost immediately.   
  
Everyone, except Alastor, breathed a collective sigh of relief and eagerly resumed devouring their meal, with the handmaiden slowly taking her seat again as not to incur Lucifer’s wrath any further.   
  
Wanting to get back on track, Lilith softly urged her daughter to continue her story.   
  
Smiling somewhat anxiously at her father’s unquenchable desire for blood, Charlie proceeded albeit timidly. “I’ve never seen anything like it mom. There were so many relaxed demons having the time of their eternally damned lives, but I'm pretty sure the alcohol had a lot to do with it.” she paused to laugh softly before adding, “I even got to watch them dance, and it was so different than how I’ve been taught.”   
  
Lilith smiled and cooed with a light chuckle, “No wonder we missed you at dinner, it sounds like you had a fantastic time. Did you dance too?” she asked.   
  
Charlie nodded excitedly, “I didn’t think I could at first but when Alastor pulled me onto the dance floor I suddenly felt confident enough to try and found the rhythm pretty easily.”   
  
Alastor let out an incredulous laugh, “My dear, your modesty is quite agonizing.” his hand swiftly reached for hers and gripped it lightly just as her eyes locked with his. “I found your dancing to be rather spectacular.” he praised with a small smile; teeth just visible enough to generate an alluring image.   
  
The pink circles on her cheeks instantly became lost in a sea of red at the unexpected compliment and only darkened the longer she stared into his entrancing eyes.   
  
“Now why pay a visit to a bar with such impulsive sinners instead of recreating everything here, like I know you can?” Lucifer questioned suspiciously, sending another glare in the radio demon’s direction.   
  
The smile Alastor wore widened, “Why I only thought it fair that dear Charlie here learned a piece of her intended’s background and what better way to learn than experiencing the authentic?” he explained while giving Charlie a charming smile that she immediately reciprocated. He then returned his attention to Lucifer with a smug grin, all while keeping a hold of her hand. “Wouldn’t you agree, my friend?”   
  
Lucifer’s large, toothy smile grew as he gripped his cane tightly. “I suppose a recreation _would_ fall short in comparison.” he concurred with utmost forbearance.   
  
Hearing the strain in her father’s voice, Charlie fixated her gaze on him and gave him a sincere smile that she knew he’d appreciate. “I had a really good time dad and yeah, the music was fun and all but actually being there to see them so in tune with it... and to watch them have a good time without being so formal with each other was just such an incredibly, unforgettable experience.”   
  
He remained quiet as he studied his daughter’s facial expressions and mused over her words. Ah, he knew she was trying to soften him up and just like always, it worked to some degree. Perhaps he was being a tad overprotective but as far as he was concerned, he was just being rational. Alastor was still up to something after all, and he’d continue to pester the radio demon until he was either proven right or wrong. On the contrary, as long as his little one was unharmed then he guessed there was no reason for him to dwell on the what-ifs of the past.   
  
“Very well. Should you want to visit such places and no harm comes to you then I’ll relent... but only a little bit.” he added playfully which elicited a bubbly laugh from his daughter.   
  
He then cast a warning gaze to Alastor who stared back at him without an inkling of fear. Their habitual staring continued until Alastor merrily returned to his meal, missing the mischievous glint in Lucifer’s eyes. Although he didn’t see it, Alastor did in fact suspect that the demon lord would retaliate at _some_ point and forced himself to keep a somewhat straight face as to not give himself away when he heard a resounding crunch beneath the table.   
  
Everyone, even the servants, snapped their heads up to see what caused the noise and to their surprise, there was a voodoo shadow vigorously gnawing away at the end of the cane Lucifer was holding up.   
  
“Lost something, Alastor?” Lucifer asked, the stoic calmness in his voice betrayed by the deadly glint in his eyes.   
  
It took everything the radio demon had to restrain himself from breaking out into a fit of laughter as he responded with a light hum, “Dear me, looks like one got loose.” with a snap of his fingers the shadow being disappeared in a puff of black smoke.   
  
“So you say.” Lucifer ground out, taking out a cloth to wipe away the viscous slobber that clung to his chewed-up cane. He then pulled off a glove and dug a claw into his palm until it bled. When the blood flowed freely, he gripped the middle of the cane and it was suddenly bathed in faint red glow. The process lasted only seconds, with the glow rapidly receding and the once ruined cane was now sleek and pristine again. “Do try to keep them under control.” he warned with a low chuckle.   
  
Alastor merely grinned. Messing with Lucifer was quickly becoming a new favorite pastime of his.   
  
Lilith covered her mouth to prevent her laughter from becoming audible then looked back at her daughter. “Did you plan on searching for injured sinners today?”   
  
Charlie gave her a soft smile. “Yeah, Vaggie will be with me and maybe Alastor if he wants.”   
  
There was a small pout on Lilith’s face as she turned to address the handmaiden. “Vaggie dear, I thought you were helping me clean out my wardrobe?”   
  
Vaggie eyed Lilith with a furrowed brow. “Was that today?”   
  
“It is and while I normally wouldn’t mind, it’s imperative that it be done today.” she urged. When Vaggie gave Charlie a silent apology she added with an elegant smile, “I’m sure Razzle and Dazzle would be thrilled to accompany Charlie for a little while and I’m sure Alastor here would send any almost any demon running.”   
  
The smile Alastor was already sporting now widened as he directed it to Charlie. “Of course, my dear. No wretched sinner would dare harm you in my presence.”   
  
Lilith clapped her hands together with a grateful smile. “Wonderful.”   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
Alastor walked beside Charlie with a large smile on his face. Could his luck get any better? Here he was out with his intended, accompanied by two of her more submissive servants as they roamed the streets in search of injured sinners. On top of that, just like before these anguished souls were more than disinclined for the princess’ help and therefore provided him with some much-needed amusement. He even made sure to stay out of sight just so the sinners could feel secure enough to threaten her when they noticed her fiercest guard was missing. But even though the handmaiden was away and he was hidden, that didn’t necessarily mean her new guards were any less capable. The goat servants would retaliate to the threats by swiftly flying up to their levels and growl menacingly, showing off their razor-sharp teeth to further their silent warnings.   
  
It was all very comical to say the least but the longer they carried on with this frivolous quest of hers the more bored he grew. The fear he once took pleasure in from just appearing with the princess was no longer enough to suffice, not to mention he was beginning to grow tired of her dejected demeanor. He gave her props for hiding it well, but for someone as observant as he was, he caught onto her sadness rather quickly. The deepening frown was very aberrant from her usually merry self, and while he got a kick out of her misery from time to time, he was ready for her to bounce back.   
  
They were approaching yet another damaged sinner that was literally bleeding into nonexistence when the demon growled, curling her massive tail around her body protectively. The demon was reptilian in nature, a dark green body with shiny yellow eyes and large spines jutting out from her back all the way down to the large tail. Her mouth displayed a mass number of thin teeth that were just as sharp and were covered in blood, like they had been in a fight recently.   
  
Charlie inched ever closer with great caution as she kneeled down to offer her assistance. “I know you probably don’t want me around but I’d really like to help you.” she uttered softly.   
  
The demon scoffed, “Help?! The fuck, you must be on some good shit to think that. Actually, you could _help_ by sparing me some of what you’re on before I bleed out.” she sneered.   
  
Charlie frowned at the derisive insult but nevertheless persisted in her goal to aid her. “Well no, I don’t have anything like that, just some supplies to help patch you up or relieve your pain... what do you say?”   
  
The demon snorted, “I say get lost before I sever that pretty head from your bangin’ body.” she threatened as looked the princess up and down, a long tongue running over her bloodied lips in an amorous manner.   
  
Decapitation wasn’t something she wanted so, with a reluctant sigh, Charlie retreated. They were only a few hundred feet away when she finally stopped and braced herself against the wall of an abandoned building. She let herself slide down until she was sitting then let out a heavy sigh filled with disheartenment. “I think I’m ready to call it a day.” she then drew her knees up and rested her forehead on them. “Just give me a minute and we’ll go home.” she muttered shakily.   
  
Alastor observed the way her servants curled up to her on either side and nuzzled her in an attempt to comfort her. While not nearly as affected as them, Alastor still found her frame of mind troubling and couldn’t really fathom why other than it was putting a strain on his advances. He needed to brighten her mood fast. So, with a quick glance he confirmed she was too broken-up to react properly and disappeared into the shadows. When he emerged, he spotted a lonely demon who was in the middle of his endless alcohol consumption and sporting a grotesque wound on his left arm. He summoned his staff and ambled over with a sinister grin.   
  
“Excuse me fellow sinner, but I couldn’t help notice that unsightly injury along your arm.” he stated lively, pointing at it with his staff.   
  
The demon ceased his drinking and grunted gruffly. “Yeah, what about it?”   
  
Alastor laughed, "Why, I’m here to offer a you a chance to fix it up.”   
  
The demon eyed him then scoffed, “Fuck off, pompous ass.”   
  
Static filled the air as his grin turned malicious. Ah he enjoyed newcomers, they were so insolent and oblivious to powerful entities such as himself and tended to bite off more than they could chew. This would be entertaining.   
  
Just as the demon turned to ignore the unwelcome guest, Alastor seized the injured arm and squeezed tightly. A pained cry erupted from the demon as bright, red claws dug into tender flesh. “I’m sorry, perhaps I didn't make myself clear. You—” he poked the demon’s bare chest with his staff. “–are to come with me and _willingly_ allow your injury to be treated.” he commanded with a jerk of his head.   
  
The sinner groaned as he peered through squinted eyes and growled out, “Or else what?” The pain in his arm suddenly intensified and another cry ripped from his mouth, echoing in the empty streets.   
  
“Oh, I think you know, loathsome sinner.” he chuckled darkly, the static steadily increasing as he applied a considerable amount of pressure to the arm.   
  
The demon yelped, writing in pain as those unforgiving claws sank deeper into his wound. The sight of fresh blood had his chest heaving as he fought to control his erratic breathing, lest he seemed too desperate. However, stalling for time only angered the radio demon more and soon the pressure on his arm became so unbearable that he was sure it would be crushed.   
  
“Alright, alright! I’ll do whatever you want just let my fucking arm go!” he begged frantically, panicking as the faint sound of bone about to give way could be heard.   
  
With a satisfied grin, Alastor released the arm but grabbed the demon’s neck instead. “Good choice! But consider this a lesson as it’s always better to take me up on my offers the first time, but if you’re still unconvinced feel free to ask around and they’ll set you straight considering you’re relatively knew here.” he explained before snapping his fingers and teleporting them back to Charlie.   
  
The princess was absently running her clawed fingers through the red fur of her servants when a loud thud startled them out of their collective gloom. There, lying on the ground in obvious pain was an unfamiliar demon and Alastor standing just a few inches away with a pleased grin on his face.   
  
“Here you are my dear, a patient just _begging_ for your help.” he proclaimed enthusiastically.   
  
“What the...?” Charlie didn’t even need to finish her sentence as Alastor interjected.   
  
“No need for your confusion, I simply took it upon myself to find you a proper patient.” Charlie looked to the frightened demon then back at him with a touch of hesitancy. Alastor tilted his head and encouraged her with a firm hand on her shoulder. “I give you my word that this one won’t refuse your services.”   
  
That seemed to bring back some of the life in her dull eyes as she tentatively knelt beside him. She quickly noticed the bleeding wound on his arm and leaned in to get a better look. Upon closer inspection, she realized the injury that engulfed the entirety of his arm was actually a horrendous burn wound that had been reopened. In a fight no doubt. Hissing with empathy, she moved to touch it when he suddenly flinched, cradling the arm close to his chest.   
  
“Don’t worry, I just want to help... please?” Charlie pleaded, a worried but hopeful smile etching her face.   
  
The demon shifted his eyes up only to recoil when Alastor gave him a smile full of large teeth. Fearful of angering the ruthless demon anymore he nodded vigorously, holding out his quaking arm for her to do whatever her version of _help_ entailed.   
  
At first Charlie couldn’t believe what she was seeing. A sinner had _actually_ agreed to accept her help and was now presenting the injury for her to treat without a single threat. Her lips spread into a wide grin as she motioned for Razzle and Dazzle to bring the first aid kit.   
  
This had Alastor grinning with less malintent than before as he witnessed her mood brighten exponentially. The smile really did suit her more than that miserable frown and he silently vowed to prevent the latter from happening too often. After all, the happier his intended the better his plan will work. He kept a vigilant eye on the sinner, making sure that he kept his claws to himself and didn’t try anything shady while Charlie cleaned and wrapped him up.   
  
Once she finished, she tore the bandage and tied it off, the smile never leaving her face. “There, that should help it heal up.”   
  
The demon looked down at his bandaged arm then back at the beaming princess with a raised brow. He was baffled, trying to figure out why she even bothered when Alastor cleared his throat.   
  
“Now thank the lovely lady.” he insisted with a growing grin, mirth radiating from his intense eyes.   
  
The demon flinched but quickly voiced his thanks then hightailed it out of there.   
  
Charlie watched him go then turned to the radio demon with a suspecting frown. “How did you manage to find someone so quickly _and_ willing when I’ve been failing for years?”   
  
Alastor shrugged his shoulders with a playful smile, “I suppose I stumbled upon the right place at the right time.” he offered lightly.   
  
She crossed her arms, her frown deepening. “And you didn’t torture him into this?”   
  
That had Alastor laughing, “Dear, I frighten nearly everyone here. Surely, it’s not that unusual to see demons tremble before me?”   
  
That seemed to lighten her scowl and eventually turn it back into a smile. “You’re right, anyone would be scared shitless if they saw you.”   
  
Red eyes stared at her amusedly. Up until now, he’d never heard her once utter a curse and was intrigued to find out that she could. Then again, she _was_ a demon; just a peculiar one.   
  
“Right! So, still ready to call it a day?” he asked pointing his staff in the direction of her home. At the reluctant knitting of her brows he tilted his head to the side and flashed her a knowing grin. “Or would you rather I help you find more willing souls?”   
  
Her sullen expression brightened to an immense smile as she nodded. “Please?”   
  
And how could he deny her request when she was unknowingly presenting him the opportunity to wreak havoc. “After you.” he bowed, extending his arm politely.   
  
Picking up the kit Charlie led on, unaware of the cautionary looks her servants were giving Alastor. The radio demon sensed this and craned his head back to grin at them then held a single finger in front of his lips. It was quite possible they saw through his excuse and knew he’d inflicted additional pain to the burned demon but as far as he was concerned, he merely persuaded him. Besides, their quick nods were a dead giveaway that they knew not to interfere.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
After his initial success, Alastor was able to _persuade_ a handful of sinners into letting Charlie tend to their injuries. The princess had all been too thrilled to treat them and never questioned their willingness other than they were utterly terrified of the radio demon.   
  
Right now, she was cleaning a nasty infection on a female bat-like demon’s leg. The infection was oozing pus and every time she thought it was clear more would ooze out making her frown with worry. She looked up at the glowering demon and asked, “Could I try something?”   
  
The demon’s only response was to grunt, shoving her infected leg closer to Charlie’s hands.   
  
She then placed them around the wound and, being mindful of her sharp claws, pressed against the infection. She gasped as pus rushed out but otherwise continued to press until nothing else oozed out. She then cleaned it once more before applying a healing salve on it. She was even careful when it came to wrapping the sensitive area, peeking up at her patient’s face every now and then until she finished.   
  
No longer in agonizing pain, the demon’s muzzle held a look of relief as she eyed Charlie then her bandaged leg. She tested it a few times by putting weight on it and grinned in total disbelief when she could do so. She looked back to the princess and with a nod thanked her softly before flying away.   
  
Charlie smiled brightly before standing with the kit in her hands. “I’d love nothing more than to keep going but we should probably call it a day now.”   
  
“Certainly.” Alastor answered, snapping his fingers to put away his staff in favor of clasping them behind his back.   
  
The stroll back home was quiet, so much so that Alastor peered down at the princess to see her cheery face had been marred by another wretched frown. His smile darkened slightly. He could’ve sworn he took care of this already.   
  
“What seems to be the trouble my dear?”   
  
His sudden inquiry startled her, making her jump a bit. Her eyes locked with his for a moment before she sighed, “It’s just that... those demons weren’t really willing. They only let me treat them because of how scared they were of you.” she admitted softly.   
  
Alastor hummed, “Even if they weren’t who's to say that it’ll be same next time? Why, they might just seek you out now that you’ve shown them some sort of kindness.”   
  
A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she reflected over his words. “That would be amazing.” she whispered absently.   
  
Ah there it is, much better in his opinion. Now hopefully this wouldn't become a habit, or maybe it already was. If so, then it was likely a ramification of how her previous suitors treated her. He cast his gaze to red sky above, admiring the enormous pentagram inhabiting the sky. It might be more work but he’d see to it that she was treated better and that he was, without a doubt, the superior suitor.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone ready for Alastor to start fucking with punk ass royals next chapter? :D


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a social gathering and Charlie is nervous while on the other hand Alastor can't wait to fuck with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys, I hope to appease you with a nice, lengthy chapter full of juicy contents.  
> Fair warning this chapter is pretty descriptive in its gore.

“This one?” Vaggie asked monotonously, holding out a boldly colored dress littered with asymmetrical patterns.   
  
Charlie hummed, tilting her head this way and that until she groaned out a frustrated no.   
  
The handmaiden frowned but returned the dress before searching the massive collection of clothes with slight disinterest. Her eye landed on something she thought was more of Charlie’s style and pulled it out for the princess to see. The dress was solid in color and looked about knee length.   
  
“What about this one?” she asked again, knowing all too well it would be in vain.   
  
Charlie bit her lip as she eyed it before once again denying the garb with a sigh. “No, it needs to be more formal than that.”   
  
Vaggie simply threw up her arms with a heavy sigh. “I know you have a hard time picking out outfits for this kind of stuff but you _know_ I’m not good at it either. I mean—” she swooped a hand down the length of her body. “—that’s why mine is _literally_ just a fancier version of my original outfit.”   
  
The princess sighed, dramatically plopping down on her bed to stare up at the vaulted ceiling. “I know but I don’t know who else to ask for help.” She admitted. She then felt a dip in the bed next to her and slowly shifted her eyes to see Vaggie frowning deep in thought, pondering for a solution.   
  
There was a social gathering planned for the evening with some of her parents’ nosier guests and everyone needed to dress for the occasion, but Charlie was having difficulties picking an outfit and had enlisted the help of her handmaiden in a desperate attempt to make things easier only for it to backfire.   
  
“We could always ask your mom.” Vaggie suggested after a few minutes of silence.   
  
Charlie frowned at that. Her mother was one to wear more revealing clothing and while she may be comfortable with it, Charlie wasn’t. She already attracted a lot of unwanted attention at these kinds of events and preferred not to increase it with the addition of exposed skin. Then again, if her father were to try and select the outfit, then she’d no doubt be decked out in something akin to his own design from head to toe. While she normally had no issue matching with him, she didn’t want to wear something like than in front of Alastor yet. Maybe after more time passed, she’d feel less self-conscious about showing him more of her abnormal personality but for now she needed an outfit that was formal and comfortable but seeing as they weren’t getting anywhere...   
  
With a reluctant sigh she muttered, “okay.”   
  
Shocked by the unexpected reply, Vaggie stared at her for a moment then snapped out of it before vanishing and reappearing within the span of ten seconds.   
  
“Having a hard time, Charlie dear?” her mother spoke, making the princess bolt upright on the bed.   
  
She noticed her mother had yet to dress for the evening as she smiled down at her. With a nervous laugh she laid out her problem. “Yeah, I just can’t figure it out. Everything’s either too flashy or too casual.” she sighed hopelessly, resting her head on Vaggie’s shoulder when the handmaiden sat beside her again.   
  
Lilith chuckled at her, “Don’t worry, there’s bound to be something that’ll grab your attention.” she assured as she sauntered over to the closet. She began scanning the clothes before grinning and pulling one out. “Oh, what about this? It shows just the right amount of skin.” she explained with a hint of mischief mixed in her voice.   
  
Charlie took one look at the gown and cringed. While it went all the way to the floor and was a solid, neutral color, it was also strapless. Definitely not something she wanted to wear.   
  
“No?” Her mother pursed her black lips in a pout as she returned the gown.   
  
She hummed as she surveyed the closet more until she found something else. And to Charlie’s horror, it was even _worse_ than the first one. It was a short burgundy dress that barely seemed like it would rest mid-thigh and was made of material that was meant to accentuate her figure in the most seductive ways possible. Not to mention all the purposefully placed gashes in the front and back for revealing skin that was usually hidden.   
  
Charlie sat up again and blushed, her arms waving back and forth with adamant refute. “No way!” That one was absolutely out of the question.   
  
Lilith shifted her weight onto one leg as she placed her hands on her hips and pouted. “Really now dear, how do you expect to get anywhere with Alastor without showing a bit of skin?”   
  
Her blush intensified drastically and in a frustrated yelp, pulled her hair over her burning face to stave off the looks she gained from both her mother and handmaiden. Hearing her mother’s laughter, she shouted through her curtain of blonde hair, “I’m not trying to come onto him mom!”   
  
At that her mother laughed again, “I see now, you’re trying to get him to come after you.”   
  
Hearing those words had Charlie peeking out from her protective veil to eye her mother warily. With her tone lacking the teasing edge from a moment ago, Charlie pulled her hair back to stare up at her mother’s towering figure and in a quiet voice squeaked out, “It’s not like that...”   
  
Lilith’s head tilted to the side with a graceful smile, a silent sign for her to divulge.   
  
With a heavy sigh, Charlie fidgeted with her hands as she confessed her concerns. “I don’t want to push him away by wearing something revealing, but I also don’t want him to ignore me if I wear something too obscure. I just—I don’t know...” her hands dug their way back into her mass of hair and clenched handfuls of thick tresses tightly in frustration.   
  
Deep down, she knew there was no reason to be like this but she couldn’t help it. Her infatuation with the radio demon was growing rapidly and it worried her. She was supposed to take this slow, be on her guard... remain wary of him. Instead, she found herself in the same predicament as before with every other suitor. The only exception that made this worse was the fact that he was actually nice to her and bore no ill will as of yet. Thanks to that, she was now anxious about her choice of clothing when normally she wouldn’t be.   
  
Seeing the princess on the verge of a breakdown, Vaggie grabbed at rigid hands and slowly untangled them from the blonde hair all while whispering to her.   
  
“Charlie... it’s okay, just breathe.” she mumbled, rubbing the tense wrists in a soothing manner.   
  
Lilith eyed her frazzled daughter and waited until she relaxed again before saying anything. “Well if that’s what you’re worried about, why not let him help then?” she suggested with a sly smile.   
  
Charlie snapped her head up, her eyes wide with trepidation. She didn’t miss the mischief in her mother’s voice and vehemently shook her head in protest. “No mom—”   
  
Before she could voice her reasoning her mother vanished, the door promptly closing shut. Charlie instantly deflated. She didn’t want Alastor to see her in such a state of disarray and quickly smacked her cheeks to rid herself of all traces of anxiousness. A couple seconds later there was a prominent knock on her door. Not trusting her voice in that moment, she opted for opening the door herself despite her handmaiden’s objections. With her hand on the handle, she inhaled deeply to steel herself then opened the door to reveal Alastor standing in the hallway with a large grin on his face.   
  
“Hello there, my dear. I’ve been told you’re having a bit of a wardrobe crisis and that I may be the very thing to remedy it.” he greeted animatedly.   
  
She gave him a nervous smile as she moved to let him in. “Sorry about that, I didn’t think mom would bother you about it.”   
  
He merely shook his head, “Why, it’s no trouble at all.” he assured as he sauntered on in, taking in everything he saw and etching it into memory. He then turned back to her with an elated smile on his face. “I’ve actually been curious as to where your room was since your father oh so graciously kept it secret from me.” he laughed.   
  
A small smile tugged at her lips. She was grateful for her father’s protectiveness but she was also glad Alastor was finally given her location. Now instead of waiting for her, he could come and get her if need be when she was nowhere else to be found.   
  
“Now then—” he strode on over to her open closet and began scanning the clothes with great interest. “—let’s see what we can find.” he used a clawed finger to assist in the search and suddenly stopped. He pulled out the one that caught his attention and showed it to her with eager delight. “And what have we here?” he held the dress out for proper examination and hummed as he inspected it. “I think this would suit you, don’t you agree?” he asked with a growing grin.   
  
Vaggie blinked, amazed that he found such a dress in the clutter. Even she had to admit that it was pretty. Her gaze then wandered over to Charlie, silently pleading that for the princess’ approval.   
  
Charlie eyed the garment in her intended’s clutches. It was a black dress with a red upside-down cross running from the neckline down to the stomach area with smaller ones running at the bottom of the skirt. She felt a smile forming when she noticed that the skirt flared out, something she valued when wearing dresses since it didn’t hug her skin. Curious to see what it would look like she nodded and moved to take it from him. She then entered the adjoining bathroom and closed it before undressing. She slid the garment over her body with ease then manipulated it until it was in place. She came out hesitantly and moved in front of the standing mirror to see. She took one look and stared with bewilderment. The dress covered most of her chest, only revealing her collar bone and neck. The sleeves were long but incomplete, stopping to rest at the bend of her elbows and giving it an elegant feel without the overbearingness of longer ones. The skirt came to rest just below her knees, being neither too long nor too short for her.   
  
“Ah, I almost forgot.” Alastor came up behind her and held out a long, red cloth in his claws. “This was tied to the hanger.” he mentioned as he showed it to her. “Care to see what it would look like?” he asked with a toothy grin.   
  
“Yeah, but I don’t think I’ll be able to tie it good. Would you mind doing it?” she asked sheepishly.   
  
“Not at all, my dear.” he answered, pulling the sash away.   
  
Charlie swiftly moved her long hair out of the way and let him tie the accessory around her middle. Once he was done, she turned her body to see he’d tied it into a large bow similar to the one Vaggie wore. She couldn’t help the radiant smile on her face as she stared at her reflection. This was exactly what she wanted, dressy but not too dressy.   
  
She spun around to shine that brilliant smile at him. “Thank you Alastor.”   
  
He chuckled as he gave a slight bow. “Anytime, my dear.”   
  
With the hard part out of the way Charlie eagerly bounded over to her cosmetic desk and riffled through a drawer. She pulled out a pair of black gloves with a red upside down cross on each and a simple, black choker. She slid the gloves on and marveled at how they climbed her forearm a bit and stopped before her fingers. She then tied the black choker around her neck and stared at her reflection again. Satisfied, she then pulled out three barbed hair ties and a brush from another drawer. She then grabbed the brush and began running it through her hair.   
  
Vaggie had moved to help her when Alastor sent her a warning glare. With the memory of the previous one she encountered still affecting her, she paused then sat back down on the plush bed with a glower.   
  
A pleased smirk found its way on Alastor’s lips at the reaction then made his way to Charlie. “May I?” he asked, holding out a clawed hand in waiting.   
  
Charlie looked at him through the mirror and smiled, handing him the brush. “Sure, it’s a bit tricky to brush the back anyway.” she then sat upright and waited.   
  
He started by taking a small cluster of hair and brushing it slowly.   
  
Charlie closed her eyes, reveling in the familiarity of someone else tending to her hair. Vaggie was the one who normally did it, but sometimes it was her mother and on the rare occasion her father. Having Alastor be the one to brush her hair though was a pleasant surprise that she welcomed with open arms. His movements were slow, gentle even, as if deliberately trying to avoid snagging a single tangle. Alas, he did come across a few but he was gentle enough upon separating them to where it hardly bothered her. As he continued to brush her hair, she began relaxing to the point where she allowed her head to be tugged back with every pull of the tool.   
  
Meanwhile, Alastor smiled, relishing in the fact that he was able to cause her to fall into such a relaxed state. Though, as his red eyes stared at her exposed neck, his claws twitched with the faintest desire to touch it. He closed his eyes briefly to rein in the unfamiliar urge. Perhaps asking to assist in brushing her hair was a bit much if he was having to voluntarily control such an impulse, however weak it may be. Normally it didn’t require a single thought, but with his goal dangling several above his head he supposed he’d simply let his guard down a bit. Still, he needed to shove the impulse to the furthest reaches of his mind. Stilling his movements for a second, he regained his composure then resumed the task at hand, grinning when the faint urge to touch her had vanished into nonexistence once again.   
  
His eyes flickered to the mirror to see if his intended had noticed anything and was delighted to see her expression hadn’t changed. Either she didn’t notice or she chose not to address it, which was perfectly fine with him. Grabbing another section of blonde strands, he brushed until the bristles glided along them smoothly then moved to another section. He continued like this until all of her hair was devoid of tangles. He stared at the mass of hair for a moment before running his claws through it, grinning with pride at how silky he managed to make it. He then placed the brush on the desk with a soft clatter.   
  
“There you are, my dear.” he announced softly.   
  
Charlie’s eyes fluttered open again and examined her hair by turning her head side to side. She beamed then took the bands of thorns and carefully situated them in her hair to where it gave the impression that her hair was forming waves. The mimicry reminded him of one of the family portraits he’d seen on the walls. Alastor then watched as she ran to her closet and pulled out a pair of simple, black high heels, completing the outfit.   
  
With a twirl she beamed at the two. “So, what do you think?”   
  
“It looks like you.” Vaggie offered with a relieved smile. She could relax now that Charlie was finally happy with an outfit.   
  
“You are stunning, my dear. I can hardly wait to show you off.” he grinned, coming to take her hand and placing a light kiss on the back of it like he’d done when he first entered her home. And just like before, the act left her in a state of shock as heat flared across her face. “I look forward to seeing you downstairs.” he adds before stepping out the room as to not press his luck with Lucifer. Though he would’ve loved nothing more than to stir up the demon lord, he’d much rather have his fun with the _esteemed_ guests that were no doubt already gathered in the foyer.   
  
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0   
  
Charlie inhaled deeply as they approached the main floor, drawing the attention of her handmaiden. Vaggie halted in her tracks and offered her a reassuring smile. “It’ll be okay, Charlie.”   
  
With one last deep breath she smiled, pointy teeth on display as she instilled courage throughout her being. “Let’s do this.” With her fears put on hold she walked ahead, Vaggie following behind as expected of a servant.   
  
With the foyer now in view, Charlie got a look at who they’d be entertaining this evening and felt her confidence waning slightly. While they were only few in number, the demons present were some that she’d rather not deal with right now. The ones that were namely a concern for her were the Von Eldritch family. The fact that she had history with them in particular was enough to make her stomach turn with disgust. She didn’t let it show though, preferring to mask her hatred by locking onto her father, who took notice of her as quickly as Alastor did.   
  
“There you are, I was beginning to wonder if I’d have to send someone to fetch you.” Lucifer remarked, earning a few chuckles from the others. Lucifer let them slide for now, focusing his attention at how well dressed his daughter was. “Why Charlotte, you look beautifully sinister. Wherever did you find this outfit?” he asked, pleased that she seemed quite content and not too nervous.   
  
“Actually, Alastor found it for me.” she smiled softly.   
  
Lucifer blinked and turned his growing smile to the radio demon. “Oh, did he now?”   
  
Alastor gave him a smug smile in return. “I figured it would be the outfit most appropriate for the daughter of Hell’s own ruler.” he mentioned, staring down at his claws as he flexed them.   
  
Lucifer stared at him for a brief moment before looking down at his precious daughter, who was smiling back up at him. “Hmmm, I hate to agree with you but it certainly is.” he admitted before leading the gossiping group to the parlor with Vaggie in tow, leaving Alastor and Charlie behind.   
  
She let out a huff of relief only for Alastor to chuckle. She eyed him suspiciously to which he merely tilted his head with a mischievous grin.   
  
“Charlotte?” he questioned with a light, teasing tone.   
  
She pouted, staring down at the pristine tile floor. “It’s my real name but dad’s the only one who uses it... I prefer Charlie, it’s not so formal sounding.” she admitted sheepishly.   
  
Alastor tilted her head up with a clawed finger so that she could meet his gaze. “Well, while I rather like the name, I won’t use it if you’re against it.” he promised.   
  
She gave him a brilliant smile, relief washing over her. “Thank you, that means a lot.”   
  
He flashed her a dashing smile before holding out his arm for her. “Shall we?” He grinned when she took it without a second thought and proceed to escort her to the parlor.   
  
Upon their arrival they were greeted by Lilith, who was dressed in an elegant red gown that split at the thigh, revealing a long leg for all to see. “Charlie dear, you look gorgeous.” she gave her a sincere smile then looked to the radio demon. “What an excellent choice, I’m sincerely grateful for your help, Alastor.” she added before walking over to seat herself on one of the lounge chairs with Lucifer who was chatting with the Von Eldritch family.   
  
Charlie noticed the servants were bustling about, carrying platters of snacks around for anyone interested. She eventually caught sight of Vaggie and Husk handling the glasses, handing one to any demon who desired to drink. A slew of servants followed, filling the glasses with everyone’s preferred poison. The only servant absent was Niffty, but that was to be expected for a servant tasked with cleaning the mansion. Soon everyone was relaxed and chattering away, not even bothering with her which was a big relief. If things kept up like this then she might get away without being ridiculed too much.   
  
Alastor took in the crowded room with interest, immediately turning his attention to the batch of demons he knew personally. He grinned and lightly urged his intended to follow.   
  
The moment they began walking, Charlie tensed as she felt all eyes shift to her now that she was accompanied by someone they thought to merely be a guest. Though she felt nervous, at least she wasn’t near the gray and green demons she loathed so much. Instead, Alastor chose to sit across a royal couple that resembled owls and another demon she knew by name. Even while sitting, Vox seemed to tower over everyone there, presenting as a rather intimidating entity. Her own mother was just a few inches shorter than him and she was an incredibly tall demon. The TV demon eyed them with his asymmetrical eyes then grinned sinisterly, but before any exchange of words could be made, a loud clack captured everyone's attention.   
  
All eyes were on Lucifer as he leisurely sipped his glass of wine. He then nodded to the handmaiden for refilling it before addressing everyone. “Because it’s simply something that can no longer be avoided, I’ll just ease your curiosity and have you cease your baseless gossip now. My daughter's newest suitor is in fact the radio demon, Alastor.” he pointed the end of his cane to the smug demon. “No, she didn’t pick him, I did. No, he didn’t suck me off to get here, I’d sooner let the angels strike me down before that even became a thought. No, she hasn’t bedded him and no the marriage isn’t happening for an entire year.” he droned on before gulping down the rest of his glass. Having dealt with this all previously, he just assumed get everything over with now rather than let them all make assumptions and spread rumors. Though he knew that would probably happen anyway, at least he could reduce the number of insane ones from spreading.   
  
With the demon lord’s announcement over, the demons resumed their chatter. Some talked amongst themselves about what was said while others continued their conversations prior to being interrupted.   
  
Charlie looked around the room nervously until she felt a clawed hand squeeze her shoulder. She peered up at her intended who only offered a smile before directing his attention to the TV demon who was smirking sinisterly.   
  
“Really Alastor? Since when does someone like you allow yourself to be tied down like this? And to her no less.” he taunted. Unlike Alastor’s voice which was only filtered, Vox’s voice was melded with static, making it difficult at times to make out his words. It wasn’t so bad when he was just conversing, but if he were to start laughing or yelling, the static would completely overlap his voice and make it nearly indecipherable.   
  
Charlie frowned at the insult but said nothing. After dealing with this attitude from everyone for ages she knew how to deal with it. As far as she was concerned the only ones who could really push her buttons were the Von Eldritch family.   
  
Alastor hummed, “While it is rather odd of me, I’ll have you all know that this was a fine opportunity. Why, anyone would have to be downright foolish to refuse such a deal.”   
  
Vox and the owls eyed him with raised brows then narrowed them. “Yeah, right. I think all the radio static’s gone to your head if you think you’ve landed yourself a good deal. The girl isn’t exactly a catch.” Vox taunted with a laugh.   
  
The snow-white owl, next to him chuckled and elaborated with her own taunt. “Oh Alastor, surely you could do better than the half-baked royal.”   
  
Alastor grinned, showing off his large teeth as static hummed lowly in the background. “Oh, I beg to differ. Not only have I gained the title of such an esteemed family, but every day I get to gaze upon a beautiful lady with quite the eccentric personality.” he turned to gaze at Charlie with a charming smile before shutting his eyes and dramatically placing a hand over his chest. “Such an intriguing demon she is, far from your average lowlife sinner that waltzes in here every few seconds. Why, I don’t think I’ve had a dull moment since I came here.” he laughed before setting his piercing red gaze on them again. “And what do you have exactly?”   
  
Vox smirked, “You make all this fuss over one girl when I can have as many as I want come flocking over at the snap of a finger.”   
  
Alastor’s grin darkened slightly, the humming static growing. “Yes, it’s true that you surround yourself with ladies of the night but that’s all they really are, what with the same mundane mindset as any other lustful sinner.” he clarified with a shake of his head. “There’s no individuality, nothing that makes them stand out except for the fact that they’re always eager to please whoever should give them the time of day.” he added with a widening smirk.   
  
“Why you—” Vox growled, his voice becoming laden with static. “You really think you’re big and bad now that you’re in with the Magne family?”   
  
Alastor hummed, tapping a claw to his chin. “I suppose I do.” he laughed with mirth. “In fact, in terms of rank, I surpass you indefinitely and I bet you can’t stand that can you?” he laughed more audibly this time. He was getting such a kick out of this. “Perhaps you should’ve taken the deal when it was offered.”   
  
Vox’s teeth grew larger as he snarled at the radio demon.   
  
Alastor grinned with large teeth on display for all to see, taking immense pleasure in the other’s obvious ire. “Dear me, did the King of Hell not even extend the arrangement to an overlord such as yourself? Now that _does_ tell you something doesn’t it?” he taunted relentlessly. Oh yes, he’d been waiting for this and it was just as satisfying as he’d imagined it would be.   
  
Charlie watched them bicker back and forth with an uneasy feeling. She expected Vox to snap any minute and winced when his claws tore into the arms of the chair he occupied. Though, to her utter bewilderment he managed to compose himself briefly before grinning again.   
  
“You might outrank me with your new little title as the Prince of Darkness but my powers will always remain superior to yours, radio demon.” he spat the name with such animosity that it had a few of the others honing in on their conversation.   
  
Alastor grinned evilly at that. “I wouldn't be so sure of yourself. You may find that my stay here, while brief, has taught me some new tricks.” he finished with a deep static undertone.   
  
Just as the TV demon shot him a perplexed look he yelped as something sharp dug into his arm. He lifted his injured arm to see one of Alastor’s shadow dolls gnawing vigorously at his arm. He swiped the creature away with a clawed hand, ignoring the blood that flowed, then whipped his head back to the radio demon who was now howling with laughter. Vox glowered, his hatred for the demon going from a simmer to a boil in an instant. When had Alastor even summoned the thing! Unwilling to admit that the radio demon had caught him off guard out loud, he swore inwardly.   
  
While Alastor and Vox squabbled, Lucifer watched with an amused grin. He was very much enjoying the show they put on. It made things less boring as he talked with the Von Eldritch family.   
  
“I must say I’m surprised you chose him of all demons to engage her to.” the head of Von Eldritch remarked.   
  
“Is it really _that_ perplexing?” he asked mundanely, swirling his recently filled glass in his gloved claws.   
  
“Knowing his reputation, yes. Not to mention he’s only in it for the title of prince and later king.” the grey demon added with a smirk.   
  
“Oh, you mean just like your spawn?” he countered, a hint of aggression lacing his voice as he bore his slits into the other’s green ones. He never did bother learning their names, especially with how they treated his little one. “At least Alastor shares one common, ground rule with me.” he paused to sip his wine then resumed with absolute certainty. “My daughter is not to be harmed in anyway.”   
  
The head of the Von Eldritch raised a brow at him. “An act I'm sure you’re aware of.”   
  
That had Lucifer chuckling darkly. “Far from it I’m afraid. Unlike you, he was once human and although he ended up in this wretched place, he’s still bound by some of his humane qualities. You see, it’s all in his mannerisms, for it is ingrained in his very soul. He’s from a time where women were to be cherished and doted on with charisma and attentiveness. Just the type of behavior I want for my little Charlotte.” he explained.   
  
The Von Eldritch scoffed at him with laugh, “That’s some joke you’ve fooled yourself into believing. Soon you’ll all see that he’s no different than any other suitor.”   
  
Yellow eyes pierced green ones. “Then you’ve severely underestimated him and myself. We know, even my dear Charlotte knows, that his goal is to establish dominion over Hell just like any other demon. The only difference that I and Charlotte care about is that he’s not an impudent prick solely bent on incurring our wrath due to insatiable desires.” he seethed. The venom in his voice didn’t go unnoticed by several guests, including the rest of the Von Eldritch family who were now glaring daggers at him. Lucifer didn’t care though, not in the slightest. They could glare and complain all they wanted but at the end of the day they wouldn’t even dare raise a hand at him for fear of what the repercussions could be.   
  
Not able to stand the demon lord’s criticisms any more, the Von Eldritch heiress moved to a different area of the room. She grumbled under her breath until she caught a flash of blonde in her periphery. Turning, her sour mood instantly worsened upon realizing who it was. Her frown soon morphed into a wicked grin though as an idea crossed her mind.   
  
Charlie was seriously beginning to struggle with stifling her laughter as Alastor continuously provoked the royals around them, switching his torture to the owls as they continuously insulted his poor choice of partner. Just as more of Alastor’s shadows made their presences known to them, she felt a sharp tug on her hair. She yelped then whipped around to see who the culprit was only to see the very demon she’d rather have gone the entire evening without bumping into. Groaning inwardly, she braced herself for the onslaught of ridicule as she addressed the demon with a displeased frown.   
  
“Helsa.”   
  
“Charlotte.” she sneered, knowing very well that the princess despised others calling her by her given name.   
  
Charlie glared before moving away from the others, crossing her arms. “What do you want?” she inquired coldly, already wanting the conversation to be over.   
  
“I just wanted to check in on your new toy before you use him and toss him aside.” she declared unabashedly and she inspected her claws with a sinister smirk.   
  
Charlie’s glare narrowed, her lips curling in a silent snarl. “I don’t use anyone, unlike you and your family.”   
  
“Says the whore who fucked my brother then told him to get lost. What, he wasn’t good enough in bed for you?” Helsa mocked angrily, not caring who listened in.   
  
The princess clenched her fists tightly in an effort to subdue her rising anger. “He was a jerk who only wanted me for sex.”   
  
Helsa laughed, “Do you realize how stupid you sound? There is absolutely no one in Hell that would _ever_ want you for anything else, because it’s the only thing you’re good for.”   
  
There was a flicker of red and yellow as Charlie fought to remain in control of her wrath but was quickly losing with every jab. She’d thought she could handle anything the bitch threw at her but apparently, she was wrong because no matter how false the accusations were, they still hurt. Everyone always tried to turn the blame on her and for the first time in a while she was beginning to think that maybe it _was_ her fault. Why else did none of her relationships work?   
  
Seeing how much her words affected the princess, Helsa grinned with utter enjoyment. “Aww did I hurt your feelings? Pathetic! What kind of demon _are_ you?” she ridiculed with a cackle.   
  
Charlie felt a feral growl escape her lips before her fist swiftly collided with the demon’s smug face.   
  
Helsa staggered from the unexpected blow and directed a fierce glare to the angered princess as she snarled.   
  
Just as the two were about to start brawling a firm hand came to rest on Charlie’s shoulder, grounding her. She whipped her head around to see Alastor had stepped in and was now fixated on the demon heiress, who’d started her transformation.   
  
“Excuse my interruption, but I couldn’t help but overhear these ridiculous assumptions.” Alastor grinned. “Spreading false rumors in the very home you were invited to is not what I’d expect from someone of such a dignified family name as Von Eldritch.”   
  
Helsa smirked, her multiple eyes narrowing at him. “False rumors? Please, everything I’ve said is true. It’s not my fault if you don’t believe me but you could just ask her yourself.” she suggested with a growl.   
  
Alastor tilted his head with a widening smirk. “Not that it matters, but it would be rather improper of me to pry into my intended’s past if she was reluctant.” he then snapped his finger, simultaneously slicing his thumb with a claw. In a split second there was a rumble in the floor before a large tendril sprang out and coiled tightly around the obnoxious demon.   
  
The other demons watched in stunned silence as Helsa gasped for breath while the tendril continued to constrict until all she could do was wheeze.   
  
“My apologies, but the sound of your voice was beginning to grate my nerves and hearing you struggling oh so desperately just helps placate me a bit. Now then, I do believe there are some matters that need clearing up since you decided to slander my dear intended in front of everyone here.” he smirked as her transformation receded with each passing second. “While I may not know the particulars of what transpired during their courtship, I’ve kept an eye on your family long enough to know what manipulative wretches you all are and how insatiable your family’s greed can be. To even think that it would be anyone else’s fault _but_ your sibling’s would be absolute nonsense.” he added with an eerie laugh.   
  
The rest of the Von Eldritch family transformed with fierce snarls and launched wildly at the radio demon without any hesitation. Blinded by rage, Alastor easily had time to conjure up more tendrils and string them up in the same predicament as their daughter.   
  
Alastor hummed with amused delight as they struggled in the thick coils, desperately trying to free themselves to no avail. “I was aware the Von Eldritch were simpleminded but I never imagined you’d be so reckless as well.” he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “Perhaps I should teach you the reason why it’s better to always think things through.” he suggested with a sinister smile. He then flexed his hand and pulled his claws inwards, making the tendrils apply an immense amount of pressure on the royals.   
  
Pained groans soon turned into screams of agony as Alastor continued to curl his claws until they made a complete fist. The sickening cracking of bones under the intense pressure echoed in the parlor room, leaving everyone speechless as the limp bodies fell to the floor with heavy thuds. Even Vox was a bit uneasy at the raw display of power that Lucifer had allowed. Normally the demon lord would stop any and all fights that would lead to the destruction of his home but for some unknown reason he didn’t.   
  
Vox looked over at Lucifer to see him donning an ear-splitting grin with a more than pleased expression plastered all over his face as he played with the empty glass in his claws. The TV demon felt a slight shudder run through his system at the sight and averted his gaze before Lucifer could notice. He didn’t want to admit it, not even a little, but Alastor may have been right about taking that offer. Vox visibly cringed at that. Even just thinking about it sent a wave of disgusting envy throughout his body that had him loathing the radio demon even more now. What made it worse was that Lucifer hadn’t even _given_ him the opportunity and it pissed him off severely to know that Alastor may outrank him in just about everything now. No, what was he thinking? His power was still far superior. He could feel himself short-circuiting as his fury boiled over and rashly decided now was the time to prove who was better.   
  
Standing abruptly, Vox raised his hands and gathered the electrical surges that served as his power. The electricity flowing through him began to manifest around his claws and crackle with ever-growing intensity. When he felt the voltage was high enough, he called out the radio demon’s name with staticky distortion.   
  
Lucifer moved to intercept only for Lilith to pull him back by the collar of his coat. He glared back at her with minor annoyance as he uttered, “Lilith.”   
  
She paid no mind to his anger since he was in protective mode and simply hummed, “I think it would be best if Alastor handled it. Everyone already knows not to cross you, dear, so why not let him make a statement of the same since he too will be a Magne?” she explained serenely, not a lick of worry in her silver eyes.   
  
Lucifer regarded her words with serious intent then immediately settled down. He trusted her judgement for now and if she wasn’t worried then he’d try giving the radio demon a chance to prove himself.   
  
Just as Vox discharged the dangerous electrical current, Alastor grinned and snapped his fingers. In a matter of milliseconds, his shadows encased themselves around Charlie and transported her to her parents’ sides. Having used them to protect her, Alastor received the full brunt of the shockwave as it traveled throughout his body. Once it finally subsided, the only sound left was his laughter bubbling out from his closed mouth. Shaking off the effects of the volts he tilted his head with a resounding crack and grinned maniacally. “Attacking my intended was a tremendous mistake.” he warned, his filtered voice deepening with every word.   
  
“Now it’s my turn.” he declared lowly, his voice deep and saturated with static as he transformed into a more disturbingly, sinister entity.   
  
His claws thinned and lengthened while the less than noticeable antlers on his head grew outward. His eyes lacked any sort of pupil as they were instead replaced by old radio dials. The static that once clung to his voice now permeated the air with high volumes as it wavered between frequencies at irregular intervals, causing several demons to panic. In an instant the radio demon was in front of Vox and effortlessly raked his claws across the demon’s torso. Vox staggered back from the brute force and groaned. He looked down to see a mixture of blood and electricity seeping from the deep gashes. Distracted, Alastor plunged both of his hands deep in the demon’s abdomen. Vox let out a screech as sharp claws easily sliced through his internal cavity where Alastor then proceeded to force them in deeper and deeper until they broke through to the other side. Stunned at having his back breached, Alastor took the moment to swiftly pull them out, his claws shredding whatever visceral they came into contact with on the way out. Voodoo shadows instantly swarmed the other’s body, entering through the holes their master left and began devouring him from within voraciously. The TV demon’s screams were indecipherable as static replaced all forms of vocalization. He fell to the floor, writhing in agony until he could wail no more.   
  
The sight was terrifying and, except for a select few, those who only remotely feared him before were now petrified and dreaded the day of ever pissing him off.   
  
There was an abrupt snap of fingers that ultimately made the shadows cease their feasting and exit the bleeding body. They disappeared and all too soon Alastor’s body phased back into its original state. He peered down at the groggy overlord with a satisfied grin that showed off his sharp teeth.   
  
Vox could only stare at the smug demon as moving only resulted in pain. While the attack would have been fatal to a lesser demon, to an overlord such as himself, it was the equivalent of being stabbed a few times. It hurt like Hell, but it would heal with time. Even now, as the electricity inside him began repairing the damage, he felt that he could fade into the unconscious any minute due to the unbearable pain he felt. If anything, the most damaging blow he took was the humility at being bested by the radio demon.   
  
“Perhaps I may have gone a little overboard but then again, maybe not. You did threaten my dear Charlie after all and I couldn’t merely stand by after that.” Alastor smirked, snapping a finger to rid himself of the blood that clung to him before walking away.   
  
Vox merely clenched his digital teeth, wanting nothing more than to return to his domain and lick his wounds. The radio demon may have won this time but he silently vowed for vengeance when their paths crossed again.   
  
Alastor hummed as he made his way towards Charlie who had such a shocked look on her face that he couldn’t help but chuckle at. It was to be expected after having witnessed such overwhelming power. He stood beside her and all but grinned at the rest of the guests, reveling in the way they flinched and avoided his gaze. Now that they had a taste of what he could do, tormenting them and others would be much more amusing.   
  
Lucifer stood and silently ambled over to where the four bodies laid. He poked and prodded them with the end of his cane, his smile widening every time one of them grunted in response. Even though they still drew breath that didn’t mean they weren’t on the brink of nonexistence and that pleased the demon lord ever so much. With an abrupt spin Lucifer tapped his cane on the damaged floor and waited for Vaggie to come forth.   
Being present in the room the entire time she was hesitant to move but nevertheless found herself moving on autopilot. She stopped in front of him and patiently waited for his orders, her eye never averting from the bodies that now lie motionless on the floor.   
  
“I need you to gather the servants and see to it that our... _guests_ are escorted out.   
  
She could only nod before making to grab every available hand in the room.   
  
Taking the hint, the remainder of the demons quickly made themselves scarce and left without so much as another word. Meanwhile, the servants got work dragging the injured bodies and setting out to bring them home. Razzle and Dazzle were picking up the rubble caused by Alastor and Vox when they were interrupted by Lucifer.   
  
“Don’t fret over it, I’ll tend to it later. For now, I need you two with the others to guide them with directions since you’re the only ones that know where they all reside.” he instructed. He then turned his attention to Alastor who seemed to be in a much better mood after having some fun. He sauntered over to him and cleared his throat.   
  
His large smile spread wider as he chuckled with obvious mirth. “Alastor, I must commend you for such quality entertainment. I would have joined in on the fun but Lilith here insisted that you were more than capable of handling everything while making sure my little one was safe.” he then caressed Charlie’s face affectionately before kneeling down to address her. “No matter what was said tonight, everyone in this household knows the truth. Next time though, be sure to pummel her into nonexistence.” he encouraged with a light smile. When she let out a breathless laugh, he hugged her to him. In that moment, he didn’t care if the radio demon witnessed his caring side. His daughter needed reassurance after that fiasco and he was going to give her the emotional support she needed.   
  
Lilith eyed them with a sad smile then promptly tugged at Lucifer’s coat collar. “Come now darling, Charlie needs to rest.”   
  
Lucifer was a bit reluctant to move but did so anyway. She was right, his little one needed lots of rest in order for her psyche to overcome the recent events. Having pried himself away he smiled at her before tapping her nose lightly, earning one last happy expression from her before leaving.   
  
As they walked away Lilith turned back to them and asked, “Would you make sure she makes it to her room for a proper night’s rest, Alastor?”   
  
The radio demon bowed with a large smile. “I certainly will.” Lilith was rapidly becoming his newest unintentional ally with the way she enabled him to take care of their daughter instead of the demon lord.   
  
When only the two of them remained, Alastor looked back over to Charlie to see a sullen look had spread across her features. He was about to inquire about her mental state when she stood abruptly and started heading for her room. Alastor moved to follow instantly, tilting his head to side as he examined her. She was clearly worn out, fatigued even. Perhaps all the excitement was a bit too much for her in one evening and it showed when they were ascending the second flight of stairs and she stumbled. With quick reflexes, he steadied her.   
  
“Allow me to assist you, my dear.” he spoke softly, not wanting to startle her any more than he already had.   
  
She muttered a soft thanks and latched onto the offered arm. She let him guide her along until they reached her room but instead of entering, she leaned back against the door and let herself slide down. She then pulled her knees up to her chest and released a deep sigh.   
  
Alastor planned on just leaving but something about that sigh kept him there. He waited to see if she’d finally move but she never did. She just stared down at the floor with the same depressed look from the parlor only moments ago.   
  
“Care to tell me what’s troubling you?” he asked suddenly.   
  
Charlie finally peered up at him and gave him a pitiful smile. “Only everything that was said but... that’s how those kinds of evenings go anyway, except that I’m the one who usually gets into fights.” she answered sadly.   
  
The prideful smile that Alastor had been wearing since his victory had diminished into a small grin as he took to sitting down beside her. “That punch was quite the sight. I never took you as the feisty sort.” he teased lightly.   
  
Charlie huffed, “I hate that I lost control of myself but it would’ve been way worse if you hadn’t stepped in like that.” she admitted shamefully, casting her gaze to the floor once again.   
  
He moved his claws to where they were under her chin and lifted so that she would look at him. “My dear, your control over your wrath is impressive. If anything, that Von Eldritch heiress simply pushed you to your limit.”   
  
“But I don’t like hurting anyone...” she muttered, pulling away weakly.   
  
He let her then tilted his head. “Sometimes hurting others is what can save you in the end.” when she looked back up at him with furrowed brows, he elaborated. “If a sinner were to threaten your very existence with permanent erasure, I highly doubt you’d let them. You’d fight back with everything you had, including your wrath, in order to save yourself. Am I wrong?”   
  
“No.” she whispered, “But then I’d feel kind of bad for them.”   
  
“My dear, that’s your personalities conflicting with one another.” he chuckled softly before adding, “You’re a demon, but an abnormally caring one. The remedy is to simply come to terms with the two, and realize that the world you live in is a dark and cruel one with beings that bear ill will and deserve nothing but punishment. But there is the potential for just a bit of kindness to thrive in it when someone is truly deserving of it.”   
  
Charlie stared at him with shining eyes before breaking out into grateful smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Never in her life had anyone given her advice on how to deal with her inner turmoil as well as Alastor did. Her father had tried, but his solution was for her to embrace her inner demon and forgo caring about others outside the family within the mansion.   
  
Alastor patiently waited for the princess to bounce back, taking to trailing his eyes over her reddened knuckles from when she slugged that Von Eldritch and abruptly asked, “You’re not injured, are you?” Charlie’s eyes widened, making him explain. “I’m quite confident that I was able to teleport you in time but there’s always the fact that the current could have traveled faster than I had anticipated.”   
  
She shook her head. “Nope, not a scratch.” she then frowned, “I never realized just how scary you could be after this evening.”   
  
Alastor’s grin revealed a small sliver of teeth. “I am quite frightening, aren’t I?”   
  
“You are but I’ve been told I’m scary when I’m mad too.” she confessed with a confident grin.   
  
“Well, if ever given the chance to see, then I’ll be the judge of that.” he stood then offered her a hand up. She took it and he pulled her up. “Now off to bed, you still need plenty of rest.” he said before leaning in to place a chaste kiss to her forehead.   
  
Charlie’s face became engulfed in heat, not expecting the sudden kiss.   
  
He chuckled as he whispered, “Good night, my dear.” he then transported through the shadows leaving Charlie to deal with the aftermath of the kiss alone.   
  
Granted it had only been on the forehead, it still left her feeling giddy as she slumped into her room and collapsed onto her bed. She didn’t even bother changing as she snuggled into a fluffy pillow, the smile etched onto her face as she replayed the sweet gesture of affection in her mind until she fell asleep.   
  
Now in the secure confines of his room Alastor mulled over the evening's events, particularly the part where he ran his claws through her hair. His eyes narrowed with slight confusion. While it was only meant to assure that he’d done a fine job, the action had left an unexpected tingling sensation that made him crave to repeat the process. The feeling had stayed with him until he reached the foyer and was thus distracted by the others. He wrote the feeling off as mere curiosity due to spending so much time with her and immediately felt better about his reaction. Though, there was still the incident with his transformation. He hadn’t even planned to, but the mere thought of Charlie almost being harmed by the likes of that technological wretch had been more than enough to set him off. He was protective of her, sure, he was supposed to be. His eyes suddenly widened with understanding. Of course, that explained it. Had Charlie been hurt, then it would have severely set his plans back, therefore making the urge to protect her even greater than he had originally planned. Mind now at ease he promptly walked over to the desk he’d conjured up and began brainstorming more ways to earn the princess’ trust.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
